NHS finance and business skills

Help governors navigate NHS finances

This one-day virtual course equips governors with essential financial knowledge to support their statutory responsibilities. With a clear introduction to NHS funding flows, financial terminology and key reporting structures, the session helps governors make sense of complex financial documents and ask better, more informed questions.

Whether they’re new to finance or looking to build confidence, this course helps governors engage more meaningfully with your trust’s financial performance and oversight.

Key takeaways

1. Understand how financial flows operate across the NHS.
2. Recognise the differences between types of financial statements.
3. Gain clarity on income, expenditure and cost improvement plans.
4. Build confidence in analysing financial reports and asking the right questions.
5. Understanding of the governor’s role in significant transactions and financial assurance.

Trust finances are complex — but your governors have a statutory duty to understand and engage with them. This course gives governors the tools to question confidently, challenge appropriately, and understand how finance links to strategy and accountability. It supports more effective oversight, clearer decision-making, and stronger alignment between your board and its council of governors.

• The financial flows in the NHS and the differences between the types of financial statements.
• The fundamentals of income, expenditure and cost improvement plans.
• The governor role in significant transactions and financial assurance to better understand areas to look out for and questions to ask.
• Opportunity to meet and network with governors from other foundation trusts.

The course runs from 9:30am to 4:00pm (subject to change).

Open to NHS Providers members and non-members.

Member: £220 (ex VAT) | £264 (incl. VAT)
Non Member: £330 (ex VAT) | £396 (incl. VAT)

You will need to provide a purchase order number at booking to confirm your place on this course. Card payments are also accepted. 

Follow the ‘Book now’ link at the top of this page to book your place. You will need to create an account if you have not already done so.

• All types of governors. 

Please note, if you are a governor that is interested in booking on to one of our training courses, please enquire through your trust contact.