Hywel Dda University Health Board Chairman bids farewell

Hywel Dda University Health Board Chairman, Chris Martin bids a fond farewell to staff and colleagues as he retires from his role as Chairman of the organisation.
Mr Martin has given over 14 years of public service in the NHS in Wales and during that time, he has worked with every Health Minister since devolution and numerous professional and dedicated colleagues on many different Boards.
Chris said: “I would like to pay tribute to all the fantastic staff and colleagues on all the Boards I have served in Pembrokeshire Local Health Group, Pembrokeshire Local Health Board, Hywel Dda NHS Trust, and most recently Hywel Dda University Health Board.”
“Their support and resilience is a credit to them and their dedication to this organisation is unsurpassed. We all know the last few years have not been easy and it is important to remember that change is never easy but change has to take place to ensure we have high quality safe sustainable services for our patients in the future.”
Some of the many areas of work he has particularly enjoyed within Hywel Dda and across Wales have been the Chairman’s commendations to staff, Volunteering for Health, the collaboration with the Princes Trust; being the Carers’ Champion for the organisation, gaining University Health Board status; being the first Health Board in Wales to be awarded the Platinum Corporate Health Standard and our Best of Health staff awards. As well as seeing the delivery of some significant capital projects in recent years: such as the world class breast care centre in Prince Philip Hospital, Bronglais Front of House scheme £38m, the new ITU/HDU and CDU units in Glangwili, the Emergency and Urgent Care Centre at Withybush and, most recently, the new renal unit at Withybush.
Chief Executive Trevor Purt said “On behalf of the board I wish to thank Chris for all his years service to the NHS. He has shown great integrity and candour in his chairmanship of Hywel Dda University Health Board and, whilst he will be sorely missed by many colleagues, we wish him well in his retirement”.
Nationally across Wales, Mr Martin was asked to be the lead chairman on behalf of all health organisations, and most recently appointed Chairman of the Welsh NHS Confederation. He was also Chair of the South Wales Programme Board and now the South Wales Collaborative, and Chair of the Pharmacy Strategic Delivery Group.
Hywel Dda University Health Board will continue with a new Chair, Bernardine Rees with effect from 1 July 2014, following her appointment by Health Minister Mark Drakeford AM.


Bernardine Rees OBE trained as a nurse and lives in Ceredigion, was chief executive of the former Pembrokeshire Local Health Board and Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire local health boards between 2003 and 2009.
Her last executive position in NHS Wales was as director of primary, community and mental health services at Cwm Taf University Health Board, where she also served as the organisation’s deputy chief executive.
Mrs Rees is currently serving as a non-executive director of the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust. She will resign this position to assume her new role at Hywel Dda University Health Board.
Hywel Dda University Health Board provides healthcare services to around 372,000 people living in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
The chair’s role is to ensure the board functions effectively by managing the agenda and establishing the board as a corporate team.
Mrs Rees’ term of office will start on July 1, 2014 and run until July 31, 2018.
Professor Drakeford said:
“I’m pleased to announce the appointment of Bernardine Rees OBE as the new chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board.
“I know she is passionate and enthusiastic about Hywel Dda University Health Board and has a wealth of relevant experience and I wish her well in her new role.
“I attach great importance to the appointment of chairs who are chosen for their skills and experience and for the contribution they make to the work of the health board."
The Chair on Hywel Dda will be eligible to receive a taxable remuneration of £59,760 per annum.
The appointment is made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments’ Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Mrs Rees did not declare in any political activity. She holds no other Ministerial public appointments.

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