September 2026 One NHS Finance Team Updates
Welcome to the September One NHS Finance blog. Here you will find all the highlights of our programmes and networks over the last month, and discover opportunities and everything else coming up in the month ahead.
Important Upcoming Dates That You Should Know
Value Maker Awards – nominations close September 29th
Breaking Diversity Barriers Programme application open – applications close September 30th
The National Finance Leaders Talent Pool applications open – applications close January 8th
Networks
Last month was relatively quiet on the events and network meetings front, with many colleagues taking a well-earned summer break. However, we opened nominations for this year’s Value Maker Awards, and there is still time to celebrate the colleagues and teams who deserve recognition for their hard work, dedication and achievements. We have seven award categories to choose from:
- Finance Excellence
- Champion of Change
- Team Player
- EDI
- Finance Education Award
- Rising Star
- Innovation
Read the full Nomination Guide and submit your nomination by Tuesday, 29 September here: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/U9Sgds6U0000
This month, we’re hosting two Health & Wellbeing webinars to help you build resilience, maintain focus and navigate challenges with confidence:
- Health & Wellbeing Webinar: Shifting your mindset and reframing challenge, September 15. Discover quick, practical tools to reframe setbacks and stay empowered during times of pressure or change.
- Staying focused in an unstable world, September 22. In this session, we look at how we can practically support focus and calm when faced with the stress that unstable times so often provide.
Also taking place this month, the London Finance Academy is hosting a session open to all NHS finance colleagues as part of their Growth & Inclusion Matters Series: Growth & Inclusion Matters Series: Inclusion & Mental Health, September 15. Join as we learn, reflect, and take steps together toward creating more inclusive, supportive, and high-performing environments where growth truly matters.
Programmes
We recently published a new video: ‘The Importance of Talent Management: Insights from Senior NHS Finance Leaders’. Watch and share it with colleagues here. Two more Talent Management Workshops are also coming up this month; September 9, Talent Management: Understanding and Developing a Talent Pipeline and September 10, Talent Management: Taking Control of your Career and Development. Whether you’re looking to develop others or take the next step in your own career, these workshops provide valuable tools and insights to support your professional growth.
Help take your organisation to the next level by attending our Accreditation Assessor Training on September 15, we’ll guide you through the steps involved in conducting a Level 2 & 3 Towards Excellence Accreditation.
We are very much looking forward to seeing many of you for a day of networking, connecting and learning at The Sponsorship Summit in London on September 25. If you would like to join us, we still have a few spaces left, so please register ASAP to secure your spot!
Learn how NHS organisations are tackling common challenges through innovative ways of working by attending an NHS finance innovation showcase this month: September 10 – Innovation Showcase: Financial Improvement Team – Dashboards, September 23, – Innovation Showcase: Vacancy Control Panel Automation. These sessions bring published NHS finance innovations to life, helping you explore practical solutions that could benefit your own team and organisation.
Lastly, we are delighted to announce that applications are now open throughout September for the Breaking Diversity Barriers Development Programme. Designed for Band 7 to 8b finance professionals, the programme supports individuals to overcome barriers to career progression, build confidence and develop the skills needed to reach their full potential, regardless of their background. Find out more and how to apply here: Breaking Diversity Barriers.
That’s a wrap for this month, please download our monthly presentation slides below. Thank you for reading.