Virtual Hospice Finance Directors Group
This group offers FDs the chance to hear from expert speakers, share approaches and policies and benchmark financial performance.
Virtual Hospice FD Group
Hospice finance directors carry deep responsibility: safeguarding sustainability, compliance, reserves, and innovation — all under tightening margins and evolving sector expectations.
The Virtual Hospice Finance Directors Group brings together finance leaders from hospices for quarterly, expert-led sessions where real financial challenges can be discussed openly.
You’ll share approaches, benchmark performance, and dig into the pressing fiscal issues the sector faces.
Tony Saunders, right, Director of Finance & COO at St Luke's in Sheffield has been a member for several years.
Being a member of the group gives me access to peer insight, practical tools, and sector-specific advice I can easily implement. It’s a space where hospice Finance Directors can share challenges and opportunities openly and get great advice and solutions.
Because the group is small and sector-focused, each conversation is sharp, relevant, and immediately usable. You’ll gain insight, reassurance, and new strategies to strengthen your hospice’s financial footing.
Join if you want:
• A safe professional peer network for your unique role
• Benchmarking and comparative insight to test your assumptions
• Expert input on regulation, risk, reserves, and growth
• A sounding board for big financial decisions and challenges
Membership of the group is £220 plus VAT per session. This also entitles you to 10% reduction in charges for other services we provide. To learn more about the group, contact me.
June 2025
21 Things about Turnarounds
This was one of the most thought provoking ever sessions of the group, as expert Simon Hopkins talked us through the 21 things he looks for when approaching a charity turnaround situation.
Simon made so many incisive insights and pointers, many of which were around culture, behaviours and ethics not just strategic financial skills. His argument that the challenges are invariably more complex and nuanced than in the corporate world certainly rang true with those on the call who have experience of working in both sectors.
There were countless others learning points from the importance of officially declaring that an organisation is in a turnaround status to open and honest communication with staff and other stakeholders.
As one participant said, much of this sounds like common sense when you hear it. But common sense is often not that common in such situations when you are under extreme pressure.
Thank you Simon
March 2025
Sustainability - Part Two
Continuing the theme from December, the group discussed four strategic approaches to developing long-term financial sustainability;
- Income Innovation & Diversification
- Strategic Collaboration
- Invoking System Change
- Retrenchment
The conclusion? No one approach will probably work on its own. And often the cultural challenges in invoking change can be as great as the need for change itself.
December 2024
Sustainability - Part One
Ensuring long-term sustainability is at the top of every hospice FD's agenda. St Helena Hospice has diversified its range of income streams by setting up a number of new enterprises. These range from running lotteries for other hospices, setting up a cleaning business to paid for bereavement services and respite care.
Kate Heslegrave, Chief Finance & Operating Officer, talked to the group about the hospice's innovative approach, but also the challenges involved - and potential further opportunities they are looking to develop.
September 2024
Sarah Belsham Data & AI
We welcomed Sarah Belsham from RSM to speak at the September session of the group.
Sarah gave the group lots of great advice on developing a strategic approach to data collection, management, governance and analysis. In addition, she emphasised the importance of adapting your approach to reflect the organisational culture and needs of people, not to be led just by the technology.
Interesting also to hear from members how hospices are using AI in different ways, including developing their own app to take minutes to meetings and to undertake data transfers from one system to another.
