Matthew Jordan Boyd brings over 25 years of NHS experience to his role. Since joining the CFA in 2018, he has been instrumental in leading the organisation’s efforts to prevent fraud within the NHS. In this Q&A, Matthew reflects on his journey into counter fraud, his leadership role at the CFA and how the organisation is making a significant impact in safeguarding NHS resources.
What is your role at the CFA?
As chief finance officer, I oversee all corporate functions including finance, governance, people and workforce development, technology, business support and estates management. In addition, as deputy chief executive officer, I support the overall leadership of the organisation while managing my chief finance officer responsibilities.
How did your career in the NHS begin?
I started my journey in finance through an apprenticeship. That hands-on, practical approach worked well for me, and with support from the NHS, I eventually became a chartered accountant while gaining experience across all areas of NHS finance.
Before joining CFA, I held various roles including deputy head of finance at Health Education England, head of financial strategy and planning at Sandwell & West Birmingham CCG and head of financial management at Sandwell Primary Care Trust.
What led you to focus on fraud prevention?
While working in a commissioning organisation, I encountered a significant fraud case. It was a real shock as I’d never confronted the fact that fraud is a problem in the NHS. When this case came up, I realised how vulnerable the organisation was and how undertrained we were in preventing fraud.
The organisation was a highly respected body, publicly described as one of the most effective and well led organisations of its type but unfortunately, we hadn’t done the basics to mitigate the risk of fraud. With proper due diligence, we would have spotted that two employees owned a company together, which was a clear conflict of interest that should have been flagged. That experience made me rethink how fraud is tackled and inspired me to join the CFA. I wanted to have influence in this space and help prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.
Can you tell us what the CFA is doing to support NHS finance colleagues in detecting fraud?
The CFA is taking a comprehensive approach to support NHS finance professionals in detecting and preventing fraud. In the 20 years I worked within finance teams, I received counter fraud training only once - and that consisted of a 30-minute presentation about a dentist who had been convicted of fraud. Clearly, this is not enough therefore I have tasked myself to ensure that the finance community are adequately informed and feel able to respond effectively.
One of the key initiatives is the "Counter Fraud for Finance Professionals" training module that we’ve developed in partnership with the Healthcare Financial Management Association. This training helps finance colleagues understand the core principles of fraud detection within the NHS. In addition to this, we are involved in a range of other activities aimed at building a robust fraud prevention culture across the NHS, ensuring that finance teams have the knowledge and tools they need to protect public funds effectively.
How has the landscape of fraud changed in recent years?
Post-Covid, public awareness of fraud has significantly increased. People are asking more questions about where money is going and that scrutiny has trickled down into public services, including the NHS. It’s been a positive shift because it’s driving improvements in accountability and vigilance across the board.
Can you share one of the CFA’s biggest achievements?
One of the things I’m most proud of is the impact we’ve had on delivering value to the NHS, protecting much needed public funds and ultimately improving patient care. Over the past three years, our work has delivered significant financial benefits, representing a strong return on investment when measured against the total cost of counter fraud functions across the NHS. The Public Sector Fraud Authority recommends a 3:1 return as a benchmark - our results consistently exceed this, highlighting the effectiveness of our efforts in safeguarding public money.
What is the biggest challenge you face in your role?
For me, the biggest challenge is balancing my two hats as both deputy chief executive and chief finance officer. On one hand, I’m focused on expanding our ambitions and pushing forward big initiatives. On the other, I need to constantly assess risks and maintain financial governance. Striking the right balance between organisational leadership and financial control is a juggling act, but it’s one I take seriously because both aspects are critical to our success.
How do you approach leadership and why is it so important to you?
Leadership is something I hold incredibly dear as it’s about influencing the entire CFA machine, not just managing people or processes. Tackling fraud at the scale we are addressing requires every single person at CFA to be performing at the highest level, therefore effective leadership at every level is integral to our success.
For me, it’s about being accountable, setting direction and inspiring others to act. Responding to fraud is a serious responsibility and it’s a privilege to lead efforts that make a real difference for the NHS and the people it serves.