Boss of ICS that suffered dramatic financial collapse seconded to NHSE

HSJ has learned that Sam Simpson left her post as Greater Manchester Integrated Care Board’s chief financial officer last month, moving into a seconded post within the regional directorate.

The move came as NHSE was preparing to issue enforcement undertakings to the ICB – a form of special measures – concerning the system’s financial collapse in 2023-24.

In response to questions, NHSE said Ms Simpson’s move was not linked to the undertakings or financial difficulties in GM.

It is not clear how long the secondment will last, or whether Ms Simpson will return to the ICB.

The secondment role is interim regional director of strategic finance at the North West regional directorate. NHSE said this was to provide support to that team as regional finance director Nikhil Khashu was recently asked to fulfil a national role while also continuing in his regional post.

Kathy Roe, who was Ms Simpson’s deputy, is now the ICB’s interim chief financial officer.

The Greater Manchester system, which includes the ICB and all providers, had been a strong financial performer over the last decade and submitted a breakeven plan at the start of 2023-24. However, the plan quickly proved undeliverable and the system ended the year with a £180m deficit.

This resulted in NHSE triggering a legal process in which a set of agreed improvements must now be delivered within a set timeframe.

According to minutes from an ICB board meeting in March, the system submitted an initial financial plan for 2024-25 that suggested a deficit of around £300m, which NHSE deemed “completely unacceptable”.

The papers noted the deficit was “entirely held across the GM NHS providers”, as opposed to the ICB.

The system has subsequently submitted a revised deficit plan of £217m, although the papers note this is also “unlikely to be accepted”.

An NHSE spokesman said: “We agreed an assignment contract with NHS Greater Manchester ICB for Sam Simpson to come and support us following the appointment of regional director of finance, Nikhil Khashu, into the role of deputy chief financial officer- operational finance, within the NHS England national team.”

When asked if the appointment was driven in any way by the undertakings or financial difficulties in GM, they said it was not.

Ms Simpson was previously finance director at Tameside and Glossop Integrated Care Foundation Trust.