Finance staff working in the NHS have been urged to gain a better understanding of mental health services.
The Healthcare Financial Management Association (HFMA) said that NHS accountants should have a good grasp of the services they support.
This could help them contribute to the delivery of high-quality, value for money service, according to HFMA president Tony Whitfield.
He said: “Frontline doctors and nurses have also identified significant benefits to be gained from finance staff developing greater clinical awareness.
“People suffering from serious mental illnesses tend to have a life expectancy which is 10 to 15 years lower than the UK average. An NHS England priority between now and 2015 is closing the health gap between people with mental health problems and the population as a whole.”
The first Medicine for Managers briefing was published at the end of last year, with further guidance to follow.
The briefing is written from the perspective of the NHS in England, but will also be of interest to HFMA members working in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
Medicine for Managers: Mental Health Services will be sent to all HFMA members and will be available on the HFMA website.
