28^th July 2004

A new service has been launched to help doctors spend more time with patients and less time on paperwork.

Tom Acworth and Marc Rickard have founded Personal Health Finance Ltd to provide consultants with a comprehensive financial and administrative service.

PHF offers diary and appointment management, note transcription services, and financial administration, including raising invoices and chasing debts, from their base at Castle Cavendish Works in Nottingham.

Marc says their speciality is knowledge of consultants workloads, combined with solid financial experience. “Consultants often hold surgeries in their own private rooms and have clinics in both NHS and private hospitals. Their diaries are complex and prone to changes. Each patient generates quite a lot of admin – appointments need to be booked, notes need to be written up and invoices sent. We also found that many consultants admitted that admin was their biggest headache – they would much rather spend more time treating their patients instead.”

Marc and Tom met whilst working at Capital One in Nottingham and subsequently went on to identify the gap in the market. After extensive market research they made the move to form Personal Health Finance Ltd in May 2004.

Tom said: “We don’t know of any other company that offers consultant practitioners such a complete service. Virtual PA companies can handle report writing and debt companies can help chase bad debts, but we think we are the only people offering a comprehensive service.”

PHF has been helped by New Deal for Communities. Start up grants, aimed at attracting new businesses to Radford and Hyson Green, have helped buy essential computer equipment and office furniture as well as covering legal advice fees. Marc added: “Without NDC funding it would have been a lot tougher to start our own business. We have already signed up our first few consultants and are receiving calls of interest daily.

“Castle Cavendish Works was an ideal location. Nottingham is geographically ideal, and within the City Radford is handy for the main hospitals. The building is brand new, smart and secure.”

To find out more contact Personal Health Finance Ltd on 0115 900 3232, and about Castle Cavendish Works on 0115 900 3100.