Embridge Consulting took part as an exhibitor at the HFMA One NHS Finance Leadership Summit on 3rd – 4th July 2025, bringing insights and solutions to senior NHS finance leaders at Birmingham’s National Exhibition Centre. This highly anticipated two-day event brought together over 200 senior finance professionals from across the NHS, including CFOs, finance directors, and other key decision-makers. The summit provided a rare and valuable opportunity for strategic dialogue, shared learning, and collaboration focused on the future of healthcare finance. Attendees engaged in discussions on the latest challenges, innovations, and policy developments shaping the NHS’s financial landscape.
At the summit, we connected with a strong group of senior finance leaders from NHS Trusts and Integrated Care Systems. Positioned as a leading transformation and systems integration partner in the public sector, our team was on hand to demonstrate how Embridge Consulting supports NHS organisations in driving digital transformation and optimising financial processes. We welcomed the chance to showcase our successful projects with NHS trusts and hear first-hand about the evolving financial challenges that continue to influence strategy and decision-making in NHS finance operations.
Exploring future-focused priorities in NHS financial planning
The summit agenda tackled some of the most pressing questions facing NHS finance teams today. Across the sessions, a clear emphasis was placed on the growing importance of intelligent technologies in financial operations. Sessions explored how analytics from AI-driven tools are being used to support more informed, data-led decision making across healthcare finance, reflecting a system-wide interest in harnessing digital tools to improve financial visibility, forecasting, and agility.
Alongside the excitement around AI and analytics, many conversations reflected the complex environment NHS trusts are navigating when it comes to digital investment. While there’s strong interest in embracing new technology, leaders are also focused on ensuring that transformation aligns with operational priorities and wider system reforms.
The recently launched NHS 10-year finance strategy outlines long-term ambitions to improve efficiency, transparency, and value for money across the health service. However, as NHS trusts work to understand how these objectives will be applied at a local level, many finance teams are being measured in their approach, and are seeking solutions that are both future-ready and flexible enough to adapt as policy evolves. At Embridge, we understand these pressures and are here to support organisations in making meaningful progress at the right pace, with systems and strategies designed to grow alongside them. These themes were apparent at the summit, where our discussions with delegates reinforced the need for trusted partners who can provide clarity, capability, and confidence during this period of change.
Responding to the realities of NHS financial reform
Unsurprisingly, the NHS 10-year financial strategy, announced on the opening day of the summit, was a key topic in both sessions and informal conversations. Given the recent announcement, many attendees were actively engaging with the details and exploring how the plan might shape financial planning across individual NHS Trusts. The strategy aims to drive long-term reform by improving value, efficiency, and sustainability throughout the system. Feedback highlighted that finance teams are keen to align their plans with this new framework and are looking for expert support to navigate its practical implementation and maximise its benefits.
For suppliers and partners, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Organisations are clearly seeking solutions that offer flexibility, scalability, and ease of integration, but they are also looking for advice they can trust. We spoke with many finance leaders who welcomed the chance to discuss how they can take steady, confident steps towards transformation. We reassured them that, despite the uncertainty, there are practical ways to optimise existing systems and prepare for future change. Our role is to be a trusted advisor, supporting NHS organisations as they align technology and strategy to meet evolving demands.
Why open dialogue drives NHS finance transformation
Events like the HFMA summit are a vital reminder that change in the public sector is as much about people and culture as it is about technology. It’s not simply about investing in digital tools, it’s about enabling teams to use them effectively, aligning systems with organisational goals and building a future-ready finance function.
What stood out to us was the sense of shared purpose. Across NHS trusts, there is a collective ambition to do more with data, to streamline outdated processes, and to better support clinical outcomes through smarter financial planning. But there is also realism about the need for careful prioritisation, especially in a climate where resources are stretched and policy is still evolving.
Embridge’s role in NHS finance collaboration
With our extensive experience in delivering tailored digital transformation for healthcare organisations, Embridge Consulting continues to support NHS finance teams in building solid foundations for progress. Whether that means integrating systems through our LEO platform, migrating to a cloud-based ERP with Unit4, or providing strategic consultancy to align technology with operational goals, our approach is grounded in practical, sustainable delivery.
As always, we came away from the HFMA One NHS Finance Leadership Summit with fresh insights, valuable new connections, and a deeper understanding of the priorities and challenges facing NHS finance leaders today. The event reinforced just how vital collaboration and open dialogue are in driving meaningful progress across the NHS. We are excited to continue these conversations beyond the summit, working closely with NHS organisations to support their journey towards smarter, more connected financial management. By combining expertise, innovation, and practical solutions, we aim to help build a more resilient and efficient NHS finance function for the future.
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Discover how Embridge Consulting and Unit4 are helping to build more flexible, future-ready care systems through intelligent financial planning and advanced FP&A tools. Our commitment to innovation and people-first transformation continues to make a meaningful impact particularly in the healthcare sector. Read more in our latest feature with HFMA: Embridge Consulting and Unit4 transforming NHS payment and budget planning with FP&A tools.