Month-end control
A reporting timetable, reconciliations, review points and clear ownership of outstanding items.
Finance delivery
Outsourced finance for health and social care providers
A dependable finance function with clear responsibilities, useful reporting and senior oversight, built around the systems and team you already have.
The business issue
More than outsourced bookkeeping.
Healthcare providers often have several moving parts: recurring payroll, variable hours, commissioner invoicing, private fees, funding arrangements, supplier payments and multiple systems. When responsibilities are unclear, information arrives late and owners end up managing the finance process themselves.
Carrick can take responsibility for agreed parts of the finance function or coordinate the wider process. The aim is to create a reliable route from source data to invoices, payroll, reconciliations, management reporting and board decisions.
The model can supplement an internal team, manage external providers or provide a broader outsourced finance function. The work is scoped around what the business needs rather than forcing it into a standard package.
What the work can include
What an outsourced finance function can include
The exact work is agreed around the organisation, the available information and the decision or control that needs improving.
Management accounts
Regular profit and loss, balance-sheet and cash information supported by explanations and actions.
Invoicing and revenue
Structured invoicing, credit-note controls, unbilled-work checks and reconciliation to operational data.
Credit control
Debtor reporting, collection priorities, dispute tracking and escalation of invoices that are delayed or rejected.
Payroll oversight
Input checks, reconciliations, exception management and coordination between operations, HR and payroll.
Systems and processes
Accounting and invoicing software implementation, documented procedures, approvals and handovers.
When this support may fit
Where outsourced finance adds value
- The owner or operations team is carrying too much finance administration.
- Several providers or staff members handle finance without one clear owner.
- Management accounts are late, inconsistent or not useful for decisions.
- Invoicing, credit control or payroll exceptions are not followed through.
- The business is adding services, entities, locations or contracts.
- The finance team needs structure and leadership before further recruitment.
A useful result
A finance function that is easier to manage
- One agreed timetable and responsibility map.
- Cleaner reconciliations and fewer unresolved balances.
- More reliable invoicing and debtor follow-up.
- Consistent monthly reporting.
- Documented controls and procedures.
- A scalable model that can adapt as the organisation grows.
How the work progresses
A clear route from question to action.
The scope, responsibilities, evidence, timetable and fees are agreed before the engagement begins.
- 01
Map the current process
Identify systems, data sources, people, deadlines, handovers and recurring weaknesses.
- 02
Design the operating model
Agree which work stays in-house, which work Carrick supports and how reviews and approvals will operate.
- 03
Transition and run
Implement the timetable, clear inherited issues, document the process and report progress.
Frequently asked questions
What owners and management teams usually ask.
These answers are general. The appropriate approach depends on the organisation and the agreed remit.
Can we outsource only part of the finance function?
Yes. Carrick can support a defined process such as reporting, credit control, payroll oversight or month end, or coordinate a broader outsourced function.
Does Carrick replace our external accountant?
Not necessarily. Carrick can work alongside the accountant responsible for statutory accounts and tax, while improving the monthly finance operation and management information.
Can you use our existing software?
Usually. The first step is to understand whether the current systems can support the required controls and reporting. Where a change is justified, Carrick can help select, test and implement a new approach.
Will the service include bookkeeping and payroll?
Those activities can be included where agreed. The exact division of work, approvals and specialist responsibilities is recorded in the engagement scope.
Related support
Connect this work to the wider financial position.
Healthcare finance issues rarely sit in isolation. These related services may be relevant to the same decision or risk.
Start with the situation, not a service label.
Tell us what is happening and what a useful outcome would look like. We will help define the right starting point.