Director Health Finance
John Matheson
Directorate for Health Finance is headed by John Matheson and it aims at:
- Financial Reporting and Control, covering financial data analysis, accounting processes and financial reporting as well as technical accounting guidance, audit and governance issues
- Financial Performance Assurance: covering financial management advice and assurance to the Delivery Directorate, all Health Boards and the health programme budget holders within the Department
- Financial Planning and Development: covering planning and project management, policy and quality assurance; significantly, it also leads on Efficient government and Best value and on developing performance measurement and benchmarking
It comprises of three business branches grouped to reflect their key functions:
- Health Analytical Services Division
The Division's main task is to continue to build the evidence base for Health and Care in Scotland, and to provide analytical support, briefing and advice to policy, Ministerial and Press colleagues as required to support the development, implementation and monitoring of HD priority issues. In particular, ASD has a role in supporting the Health Department's Delivery Group by developing and supporting a system to monitor Health Boards' performance against the Minister's set of key targets, providing economic advice and evaluation on NHS workforce, Health Board allocation and financial issues, evaluation of physical and mental health improvement and Health inequality challenges, assessment of future care costs and service requirements and providing the evidence to support the strategy for the future of the NHS and care services set out in Delivering for Health.
- Property and Capital Planning Division
The Division has responsibility for those policies relating to the physical assets (property, medical equipment and IT) from which healthcare services are delivered and for allocating and managing the capital resources made available to NHSScotland to invest in modern, fit for purpose assets. This includes lead responsibility for the Department's Capital Investment Group which approves and monitors delivery of major investment projects developed by NHSScotland Boards.
Health Finance Division has overall responsibility for every budget which falls under the portfolio of the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing which, as well as those for NHS Scotland and the Health and Wellbeing directorates now also includes the newly incorporated Housing & Regeneration Directorate, Scottish Housing Regulator, Social Inclusion Directorate and also Sport Directorate. The work of the Division includes co-ordinating, reviewing and reporting on the financial performance of 14 Health Boards, 8 Special Health Boards, related agencies and internal Health & Wellbeing programme expenditure. It is responsible for ensuring that NHS Boards appropriately manage the resources they have been allocated within agreed financial constraints and that NHS Boards take appropriate action when financial difficulties arise. Furthermore the Division is also responsible for providing financial advice and guidance to NHS Boards both in general terms and specifically in relation to technical accounting issues and capital investment decisions.
Topics
Topics contain more information on the policies and initiatives undertaken by the Scottish Government. They act as a background to the work of directorates.