NHS CFO joins University of Salford to help bridge the gap between industry and academia

Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust Chief Financial Officer and Deputy Chief Executive, Suzanne Robinson, has been appointed by the University of Salford’s Business School as an Honorary Industry Fellow.

Suzanne, who is a Salford alumna after graduating from the University in 2001, joins the School to help foster the next generation of talent in the region, while opening their eyes to a career in healthcare finance.

“I have a huge amount of gratitude to the University, as a result of how much the team helped me to pursue the career I now love. I joined the University as a mature student, unsure of the area of finance I wanted to specialise in.

“Salford paid attention and took the time to understand my personal values before suggesting I opt for a career in the healthcare sector. My Lecturers signposted me to the sector and opened my eyes to an NHS graduate scheme, which ultimately springboarded me to becoming a CFO within an incredibly important organisation I care so much about. It’s now my opportunity to give something back and to do the same for the students in the very same position I was back when I was stuck at a crossroads on my career route,” Suzanne commented.

During her time at Salford, Suzanne studied BSc Accounting and Finance. She now leads the finance provision within Greater Manchester’s Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, which comprises 7,000 staff members and supports over 100,000 service users across Greater Manchester, including Salford.

Suzanne’s new role will involve working closely with the University to create career opportunities for students, enabling them to experience what it’s like to work in healthcare finance and showcasing what a rewarding career in the NHS looks like.

Dr Francine Morris, Associate Dean for Enterprise and Engagement at Salford Business School, added: “We’re delighted to welcome Suzanne back to the University as an Honorary Industry Fellow, a role through which she will help bridge the gap between industry and academia, supporting our Accounting and Finance students as they work towards their graduate careers. Having already delivered a series of guest lectures for us, we’re excited to have Suzanne elevate this through internships, placements and graduate opportunities, bolstering student’s CVs while further enhancing their career prospects. Seeing Suzanne’s career journey, further highlights to our students what they can achieve.”

Throughout her career to date, Suzanne has multiple notable accomplishments, namely leading the development of Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust’s Digital Innovation Hub, which will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of how healthcare is delivered. The project centres on helping to solve some of the problems Clinicians face in their role and helps them to free up time through technologies like artificial intelligence (AI).
“There are 16,000 finance roles within the NHS, so my primary objective is to collaborate with the University to open students’ eyes to these. Working in the NHS is remarkably fulfilling and I’m looking forward to showcasing this first-hand,” concluded Suzanne.

For more updates from the University of Salford, visit: https://www.salford.ac.uk/news.