Finance Brief March 2016

1. Finance BriefMarch 2016

2. Pay It’s Easy to view your payslip • From March, you will only be able to access your payslips online through Easy • What can you do? • If you have never used Easy before, you need to: • Contact Service Desk on 58777 to gain access to your email account if you don’t normally use it. • Then click here to register to use Easy with your NHSBT email address while logged in to the NHSBT network. • Once registered, you can access your Easy account anytime/anywhere without being logged into the NHSBT network. • Contact Pay Support on 0121 202 4455 (internal 54455) with any queries.

3. Advisory fuel rates for lease cars change on 1st March 2016 In line with current HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) approved company car mileage rates a change to the NHSBT lease car reimbursement rates has been agreed. With effect from 1 March 2016 the rates will be: Petrol cars  1400cc or less 10p/mile   (was 11p) Petrol cars  1401cc and above 12p/mile   (was 13p) Diesel cars  1600cc or less 8p/mile   (was 9p) Diesel cars  above 1601cc and above 10p/mile  (was rate 11p) Please submit your mileage claim up to 29th February as one claim, and start a new claim on 1st March 2016. The new rates reflect the cost of fuel and the lower two rates of HMRC approved company car mileage rates, which are reviewed four times a year.

4. New State Pension and increased NICs NHS Pension Scheme members The new state pension is being introduced in April 2016 At the same time the current reduced National Insurance contributions (contracted-out NICs) to for members of the NHS Pension Scheme are ending.  This means that from April 2016 those in the NHS Pension Scheme will pay the standard rate of NICs.  The impact of this is a reduction in take home pay from April 2016. To find out more information, including how your state pension may be affected or for a state pension forecast go to:- NHS Employers factsheet (http://www.nhsemployers.org/your-workforce/pay-and-reward/pensions/implications-of-the-new-state-pension) Government New State Pension (https://www.gov.uk/new-state-pension )

5. NHSBT secure ‘Safe Haven’ e-mail address Following changes introduced by the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) Health organisations must use less Patient Data in invoice backing documents. We must also restrict access to such data and only send it encrypted or via a secure Safe Haven e-mail address. This requirement has lead to significant problems and delays in payment of NHSBT customer invoices. But it also impacts us where we pay supplier invoices where backing information contains Patient Data (mainly in DTS). To address this NHSBT has set up a Safe Haven e-mail address: NHSBT.Financial-Services-Safe-Haven-Account@nhs.net DTS employees who receive Patient Data in invoice backing should contact Maxine Spivey x55937 or Information Governance for advice to ensure compliance with the rules. Its is recommended that the safehaven email address is used for this data. Access to the Safe Haven e-mail address is controlled and any Patient Data received will be distributed to correct individuals/departments as needed.

6. Payroll Errors – January 16 In January 16 there were 17 overpayments: 1 current month change which was too late for January payroll due to payroll timings 1 error caused by Pay Support due to system processing 4 errors caused by SBS due to incorrect processing 1 overpayment relating to an employee who did not return from maternity before taking a career break 1 error cause by HR due to a correction not being e-mailed across 9 manager errors due to late data Please remember to notify Pay Support of leavers as soon as they hand in their notice and also notify Pay Support of any contract changes as soon as they have been agreed. Thank you for your help and support in reducing the number of overpayments.

7. Direct Debit project for Fixed Blood Contract Invoices We are planning to move to Direct Debit payments for customers with blood contracts in July 2016 We are currently writing to all annual blood contract customers with a Direct Debit Mandate We are finding it increasingly difficult to collect payment from NHS customers, due to the general financial pressures within the NHS, and hope this initiative will make the process more efficient We will provide updates on our progress with this project over the coming months

8. Update to Travel and Expenses Policy & FAQs – 16th February 2016 No substantial change in policy Format now consistent with other policies in terms of simplified language and removing duplication Grey Fleet policy is now incorporated into this policy FAQ’s developed to support individual situations.

9. Invoicing for IBGRL – changes from April 2016 It has been agreed that from 1st April 2016 IBGRL invoices and correspondence will be issued in the name of NHSBT We will be writing to all IBGRL customers by the end of March advising them of this change

10. March 2016 - Expenses post-code look-up improvements NHSBT is able to access Ordnance Survey mapping data under the Public Sector Mapping Agreement (PSMA) and use this to improve the information provided when you enter a postcode in expenses. We are planning to activate this improvement in expenses on 14th March 2016. Once implemented you will see a more detailed list of addresses and named businesses to select. This will help you find the correct start and end location for your vehicle journeys

11. Year end- Purchase Order receipting reminder We aim to get the majority of our purchases made using a Purchase Order in I-procurement. If you have raised a Purchase Order for good or services it is important you record accurately on i-procurement when the goods or services have been received. The ‘receipt’ within i-procurement tells the system when to record the expenditure. This needs to be done when good are recevied so our accounts are correct. If you don't receipt within i-procurement we may not record the expenditure in the correct period. If you receipt the full purchase order value when only some of the goods have been received again the expenditure will be recorded incorrectly but we may also pay the supplier too soon or too much. It is even more important to receipt promptly as we approach year end (31st March). If you need any help with receipting please contact Ronnie Stothard x 55934 or Wendy Thorne x 27231. Please note if you are taking leave over the Easter period you need to take action prior to your leave or delegate to someone else to act on your behalf.

12. Year end – No Purchase Order Accrual reminder It is important that all spend is recorded in the right accounting year. Our year ends on 31st March 2016 If you have received goods or services up to the 31st March worth more than £2,000 for which no purchase order is in place please notify your Business Support Analyst that an accrual is required. Email: Business Support Team – Finance. Please note if you are taking leave over the Easter period you need to take action prior to your leave or delegate to someone else to act on your behalf.

13. Year end – Income recording reminder It is important that income due to NHSBT is collected and reported in the correct accounting year. Our financial year ends on 31st March. Please ensure that all income due to NHSBT is reported to the Accounts Receivable team promptly. If you need help please call Tracey Noble (previously Quinn) on x 55947 Please note: If you are on leave over the Easter holidays please act before you go or delegate to someone to act on your behalf.