‘World Best’ Works at Gloucestershire NHS

15/02/2008

An accountant who works at Gloucestershire Primary Care Trust (PCT) has achieved the Highest in the World aggregate mark for her Chartered Institute of Management Accountants (CIMA) exams.

Jennifer Kirkham, 29, from Brockworth, Gloucester works as a finance graduate trainee at the PCT. She took the three papers for the Strategic Level exams in November and recently heard that she had the Highest in the World aggregate mark across the three papers. She had also achieved the Joint Highest in the World on one of the papers.

Jennifer said: “I never expected my marks to be this good. When I came out of the exam I didn’t think I’d done that well so it was a big surprise to be told my marks meant I had the Highest in the World at that level.”

More than 5,000 people took the exam across the world. The exams are part of a standard route for those wishing to become a Member of CIMA. It provides students with the financial expertise and strategic insight to make key decision about the future of a business.

Jennifer studied for these exams while still working at the PCT and has been fully supported by her line manager, mentor and colleagues. Jennifer’s training is funded by the NHS as a part of the national graduate training scheme.

Despite these results, Jennifer doesn’t have any plans to leave the NHS in Gloucestershire:

“I love my job and the work that I do. These marks are a bonus to me. I want to continue doing the work I do and using my skills for the benefit of others.”

Director of Finance and Information, Sarah Truelove, said: “We are absolutely delighted for Jennifer and proud that people who achieve as high as she has choose to work in the NHS.

“We actively support our staff in developing their skills for the benefit of themselves and the organisation.

CIMA is a leading membership body that offers an internationally recognised professional qualification in management accountancy, which focuses on accounting for business.