Home About us Services Work with us Get involved Contact us Home > About us > News > David scoops 'Student of the Year' award In this section Our vision Trust Strategies, Plans and Reports Board and executive team Brighton General Health Hub Research News David scoops 'Student of the Year' award Date: 29 November 2021 Remember David Wilder (pictured), our former finance trainee whose journey from Prince’s Trust work experience placement to accountancy trainee was showcased by a feature-length article in Public Finance, journal of the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, in the summer? Well, he’s made the headlines once again, this time by winning the Healthcare Financial Management Association’s (HFMA) Student of the Year for the South East award – just days before passing his final exams to become a qualified chartered accountant. David, who has Asperger’s syndrome, which makes people see, hear and feel the world differently to others, which may present them with challenges such as learning difficulties and anxiety, scooped the HFMA trophy at the organisation’s regional conference, held at the Grand Hotel in Brighton. Chris Thompson, SCFT Senior Financial Accountant, said: “David was shocked - and eventually happy - to win an award as he didn’t know we had nominated him. “We told him we had a spare ticket to the evening function, where the awards were given out, as we had a last-minute drop-out and he should come along!” David’s nomination said he had “worked diligently” towards his accountancy qualifications and in 2020-21 had used his experience to help the Trust’s Procurement team “work … through a challenging period supporting the COVID and mass vaccination effort”. It said he had since developed his skills as a trainer by educating non-finance professionals in the Trust and GP practices on the use of purchasing and procurement processes. David was presented with his award by Sheila Stenson, Executive Director of Finance at Kent and Medway NHS and Social Care Partnership and Branch Chair of HFMA Kent, Surrey and Sussex. Less than a week later, David, who is now SCFT’s Income Controller, learned he had passed his final Association of Chartered Certified Accountants exams. Chris said the Finance team were “very proud of David and all that he has achieved”. © 2021 Sussex Community NHS Foundation Trust Brighton General Hospital, Elm Grove, Brighton BN2 3EW | Tel: 01273 696011 Sitemap | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy | Accessibility | Freedom of Information | Contact Us