The North West will not be establishing an ‘Academy’ as such. Rather, the role of the Academy will be subsumed within the overarching North West Skills Development Board (NWSDB), which has responsibility for overseeing the operation of the North West Skills Development Network (NWSDN).

The NWSDB, which is chaired by the North West Regional Director of Finance, has six objectives, as follows:

1. Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
   Make measurable progress towards a diverse workforce across our organisations, through appropriate equality, diversity & inclusion initiatives.
2. Organisational Development
   Support our organisations to develop their staff to improve the quality of their services, through training, sharing good practice and collaboration across the Network.
3. Raising the Professional Profile
   Increase the percentage of qualified staff in our teams by promoting the value of gaining a qualification from, and being a member of, a relevant professional organisation.
4. Financial Sustainability
   Explore opportunities to expand the Network’s reach, both within existing member organisations and by seeking new members, while maintaining a sound financial base and offering excellent value for money.
5. System Working, Innovation & Collaboration
   Support our staff to work effectively across system and organisational boundaries.
6. Workforce Skills Development
   Develop our workforce to meet organisational needs through appropriate programmes and initiatives.

The NWSDB will ensure that the work plans arising from the National Finance Academy will be delivered by the NWSDN, working in collaboration with partners where necessary. It will also ensure that appropriate opportunities are made available to all staff covered by the Network, whether they work in finance, informatics or procurement.

Any queries should be directed to David Ellcock, Director of the NWSDN, in the first instance. David can be contacted on either david.ellcock@nhs.net or 07824 300797.