RAM’s Success in NHS Shared Services

Leading Fixed Asset Software supplier to the NHS provides central system for Gloucestershire

As the move towards financial shared service centres in the NHS continues, Real Asset Management, the leading supplier of Fixed Asset Management solutions to the National Health Service, is delighted with the way its solutions are being used with great success amongst shared services and are helping to improve the way resources are managed. This efficiency is exactly what the new centres were designed to achieve.

Gloucestershire NHS Finance Shared Service Centre, has recently completed its first year end since it was formed in April 2002. An integral part of its success has been the move towards central systems and a more effective use of working man hours. RAM was chosen as the preferred fixed asset management supplier, following a detailed review of all the systems previously used by predecessor organisations.

“The formation of financial shared services has increased the importance of fixed asset software,” explained Rob Stow, head of financial accounts. “With a much larger asset base and multiple registers to control, it was important to select a system that all the trusts were happy with. RAM is so far ahead of other suppliers because it develops its software in partnership with the NHS and is the only system to keep up to date with the continual changes to the NHS Accounting Manual. Unlike many systems on the market, you don't have to compromise with RAM’s solution.”

“Time spent managing fixed assets has reduced dramatically this year,” continued Stow. “Prior to shared services, many financial employees were involved with asset management amongst the individual organisations. This has now reduced significantly because all the databases are managed centrally and staff only need to be trained on one system. It is so quick to add and edit asset information and reports are easily generated to match our exact requirements. Time is also saved because the reports for each trust are now in the same format and information is easier to contrast and compare. Information can be e-mailed in user-friendly reports which benefits all staff involved.”

The centre consists of three primary care trusts, one hospital trust, one ambulance trust and one partnership trust. Each entity has a separate database which is held on the central RAM system and the combined number of assets exceeds 6000.

“The flexibility that RAM's system provides is first class,” declared Stow. “With quarterly reporting requirements in the NHS, it is essential for any system we use to reflect this. Most fixed asset modules on general finance systems close accounts monthly which makes carrying out post-period amendments very difficult. By interfacing RAM's system with our Geac Smartstream ledger, we won't have to compromise on functionality or lose the ability to have a totally integrated solution. It's the ideal scenario for all NHS finance managers.”

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