SWANSEA: Thousands of old cancer centre X-rays destroyed — but their silver is heading to the Royal Mint

Thousands of old X-ray films from Swansea’s cancer centre are being destroyed – but not before the silver they contain has been extracted and sold on to the Royal Mint in Llantrisant, where it could end up as Welsh jewellery.

Staff at the South West Wales Cancer Centre at Singleton Hospital teamed up with specialist metal extraction firm Betts to recover silver from more than 8,000 X-ray films that had passed their retention period and were due for destruction.

The process generated a rebate of more than £1,000 for the radiotherapy department.

Anna Iles, interim head of service for radiotherapy, said the films were a legacy of an older era of cancer treatment. “Historically, for radiotherapy treatment we would produce hard copy X-ray films to verify treatment,” she said. “Now it’s all done electronically.”

The films had originally been stored in the radiotherapy department at Singleton, but as the department expanded the space was needed for other uses.

They were moved to an external storage facility in Cardiff – at a cost to the health board.

When Swansea Bay University Health Board later acquired its own storage facility in Llansamlet, space became available at Singleton for the films to be brought back from Cardiff. That repatriation in itself generated a significant saving for the department.

Of the more than 16,000 X-rays held in storage, around half had passed their retention period and could be lawfully destroyed. Rather than simply disposing of them, the team identified that the films contained recoverable silver and linked up with Betts to extract it.

The process required careful sign-off before it could go ahead. “We worked closely with colleagues in information governance to get sign off that we could send the X-rays to Betts, where they extracted the silver and we then got a rebate of more than £1,000,” said Iles.

The story has an additional Welsh twist. While Betts is based in England, the firm works in partnership with the Royal Mint in Llantrisant – meaning the silver recovered from X-rays taken in Swansea could return to Wales in an entirely new form.

“Betts works in partnership with the Royal Mint, selling the recovered silver, which is then used in the creation of jewellery,” said Iles. “It is quite nice that there is the potential for the silver to come full circle back to Wales.”

The remaining 8,000 or so films that are still within their retention period will continue to be stored until they too can be lawfully destroyed – at which point the same silver extraction process is expected to be repeated.

The South West Wales Cancer Centre provides radiotherapy and oncology services for patients across the Swansea Bay University Health Board area and beyond. It is based at Singleton Hospital on the edge of Swansea Bay.

Swansea Bay University Health Board says the project demonstrates how clinical teams can find creative and sustainable ways to generate savings and reduce waste – while also ensuring sensitive patient information is securely destroyed in the process.

New NHS exercise video set to aid patient recovery

The four-minute video demonstrates six simple mobility exercises, which can be carried out from a sitting position, designed to maintain mobility.

Being active helps to prevent deconditioning, which is a chain reaction of negative effects. For example, inactivity means muscles weaken, so individuals have a greater risk of falling over when they stand up and move around.

Sitting or lying still for too long can also cause pressure ulcers, increase confusion and disorientation and can lead to not eating or drinking enough.

All of these things have the potential to cause further harm and for inpatients, longer hospital stays.

The video has been timed to coincide with the health board’s Active August campaign, which focuses on helping counteract deconditioning – the medical term for the negative impact on your physical and mental health caused by sitting or lying down for long periods of time.

Rebecca Fayle, Clinical Lead Physiotherapist, helped produce the video. She said:

“Deconditioning refers to the loss of physical fitness and function, often occurring during prolonged hospitalisation or as a result of periods of immobilisation.

“Individuals can avoid deconditioning by undertaking small steps to maintain their range of movement and strength. These can include regular mobilisation, functional activities and regular exercises.

“This video includes some basic exercises that can be undertaken by individuals during hospital admissions or at home to maintain their strength and mobility. These exercises provide some stretches and strengthening exercises for upper limbs, trunk and lower limbs.”

Physiotherapist Carys Edmunds, (above), who appears in the video, said:

“I’d just like to say thank you all for the great experience of taking part in promoting exercise and the importance of movement, especially in our busy department. 

“Even though I was a little nervous, it ended up being a lot of fun, and I really appreciate the opportunity.

“Hopefully, both patients and staff will gain a lot from the video. It’s so important that we continue to enhance physiotherapy services and highlight how crucial exercise is in preventing deconditioning, particularly in older adults.”

Physiotherapist Ceiron Browning, who worked on the video, said:

“In preparation for the video, having worked in front door services, we really do see the value and importance of exercise and keeping active. 

“It’s great to use our passion for conditioning and keeping active to support others and facilitate people going home safe and confident, providing them the knowledge to stay independent.”

You can watch the English version of the video here.

You can watch the Welsh version of the video here.

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

From Cwmtwrch couch to Barcelona: Kirsty catches the running bug

The former DJ was the voice of an NHS-approved Couch to 5K app, which proved to be the catalyst for a lifestyle change that has boosted her health and wellbeing through instilling a lasting love of running.

The popular app has seen Kirsty go from leading a self-confessed sedentary lifestyle to conquering half marathons in a little under 12 months.

The 26-year-old from Cwmtwrch, in the Upper Swansea Valley, is sharing her journey as part of the health board’s “Active August” campaign. The hope being that it will inspire others to take the first steps to a healthier lifestyle.

Speaking about her achievements, Kirsty said:

“I hadn’t done any exercise since university, and then I only went to the gym a few times a week for a year and that was it.

“But in April last year, on a whim, my cousin wanted to start running. We were going to Cyprus on holiday together in June and she wanted us to be able to run out there.

“She had decided to do the Couch to 5K and wanted to run with someone to keep her accountable. So, I said I’d do it with her.”

The couch to 5K programme is free and widely available to download from the NHS website here. 

“It’s an NHS app, where you can choose a coach,” continued Kirsty. – I went for Reese Parkinson, but there are four or five to choose from, including Sarah Millican and Jo Whiley – and it guides you through the programme from week 1 to week 9.

“You start with a mix of running and walking to ease you in. 

“As the weeks go on, you build up your stamina and confidence and by the end you’ll be running for 30 minutes without stopping.”

Kirsty found it challenging but persevered.

She said: “To be honest with you, in the first week, I didn’t think I’d do it because I’d attempted couch to 5K a few times before and given up before week three.

“But this time I thought, I’m really going to do this now because I’ve got someone who’s holding me accountable as well.

“I was absolutely chuffed when I finished it.”

As well as a sense of achievement – she completed her first 5K Parkrun in under 40 minutes soon after – Kirsty began to notice an improvement in her health and well-being.

She said: “It’s a massive benefit to your body.

“I don’t feel half as tired as I used to, and as for my mental health, I feel a lot better because before I wasn’t really moving and felt like I was in a bit of a slump all the time.

“I’m on my phone less, I’ve got like less headaches and I’ve got different things on my mind rather than stressing.

“After work I was doing the same things over and over again, whereas now I’ve got a bit more routine and I’m going out more.

“I’m being more conscious of what I’m eating as well because I’m trying to fuel my body a bit better.”

The plan was to keep running the relatively short 5K distance but that soon changed.

Kirsty added: “I wanted to keep doing casual 5Ks to be honest with you. That was the planbut then I thought, ‘I’ll try Swansea 10K, see if I can do it by September. Even if I walk a bit of it, I’ll be happy with that.’

“I just wanted to keep going. Because I’ve felt so much better, I didn’t want to go back to just sitting on the sofa after work. I wanted to keep doing more.”

She completed the 10K in a respectable 67 minutes and hasn’t looked back.

The next logical step was to join a running club.

She said: “At the end of September I joined Pontardawe Running Club.

“I was going out in the morning before work but it had started getting dark and I was getting a bit scared, even with my torch on, so I thought I’d better run with some other people now.

“I was really nervous to go but once I’d turned up, everyone was really friendly and welcoming.”

Her new running pals encouraged Kirsty to bigger things – namely a half marathon.

“Joining the running club was the start of a slippery slope because they soon had me signing up for different runs!” she laughed.

“I found myself doing the Llanelli half marathon last February in 2 hours 28 minutes.

“I didn’t think I’d ever do a half marathon, because obviously in less than a year I’d gone from not being able to run at all to doing a half marathon, which is crazy. I never saw that happening ever.”

Kirsty’s next challenge is abroad once more, having set her sights on running another half marathon in February, this time in Barcelona.

Kirsty said: “I kept seeing videos of people doing races abroad and really felt like that was something I could do. I’d love to beat my half marathon time of 2 hours 28 and I’ve heard Barcelona is fast and flat so it’s definitely doable. Also, a good excuse to go on holiday!” 

Finally, her advice to anyone thinking of following in her footsteps is, quite literally, just take that first step.

She said: “Just give it a go. You may as well because you’ve got nothing to lose.

“You don’t need any fancy equipment for it – I just had my phone literally in my pocket and my earphones on.”

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#ActiveAugust #CouchTo5k #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Work starts on state-of-the-art dialysis unit in former Port Talbot factory

Stationary House in Acacia Avenue, Sandfields, will be partly demolished ready for the new unit to be built.

It’s part of a £70 million investment in South Wales renal services and will help relieve some of the pressure on Morriston Hospital.

Patients will also be able to dialyse closer to home when the new unit opens, which is expected to be in the spring of next year.

It will feature 27 stations with a maximum capacity of 108 patients. It will also have a training area for nurses who teach people to dialyse at home.

Renal services are provided by Swansea Bay University Health Board for people in its own area as well as those in Hywel Dda and Cwm Taf Morgannwg health boards.

Existing services include two haemodialysis units at Morriston Hospital – which receive patients from Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend – and one each in Aberystwyth, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest.

With funding from the NHS Wales Joint Commissioning Committee, several major improvements have already been carried out, such as upgrading the five existing haemodialysis units in South West Wales.

Two of these are at Morriston Hospital, with one each in Aberystwyth, Carmarthen and Haverfordwest. Patients there are already benefiting from new dialysis machines and other facilities and equipment.

However, the health board also recognised a need for additional dialysis units, covering the Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend areas.

The Bridgend unit opened earlier this year. It is run on behalf of Swansea Bay by Fresenius Medical Care, which also runs the three West Wales units.

It will run the Acacia Avenue centre too. Fresenius will recruit the staff, comprising 18 clinical staff such as nurses, dialysis assistants and healthcare assistants, a clinic manager, and administrative and housekeeping staff.

The medical care will continue to be provided by the NHS consultants and pharmacists who currently look after the patients in Morriston, ensuring good continuity of care.

Renal directorate manager Sarah Siddell said: “The start of work on the new dialysis centre in Port Talbot marks a significant step forward for renal care across South West Wales.

“This development is the result of years of careful planning and collaboration, and it reflects our commitment to delivering patient-centred, accessible care.

“By providing a state-of-the-art facility closer to where many of our patients live, we are reducing travel strain and enhancing quality of life for individuals who require regular dialysis.

“We’re particularly proud that the centre will also serve as a hub for training in home dialysis, supporting greater independence for patients.

“This investment demonstrates a long-term vision for renal services, and I look forward to seeing the benefits it will bring to patients, families, and staff alike when it opens next year.”

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#Sandfields #StationHouse #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Quick test can help rule out bowel cancer sooner for patients

Patients experiencing symptoms which could be seen as a sign of bowel cancer will be asked by their GP to complete a stool test, which will arrive at their home by post.

Known as a Faecal Immunochemical Test (FIT test), patients can complete the test in the comfort of their own home before sending it off in the post.

The simple test checks for blood in the poo and helps to screen patients who may be at risk of bowel cancer.

Dr Gemma Eccles (pictured), Swansea Bay’s primary care cancer clinical lead, said:

“Under national guidance, patients with a symptom that could be related to bowel cancer should complete a FIT test before being referred to secondary care.

“Of course, there are some symptoms that don’t need a FIT test before a referral can be made, for example, if a mass has been found by a GP.

“The test acts as a way of screening and triaging patients to help determine if they are at low risk, if they need to be seen more urgently or not at all.

“The test is exactly the same as the bowel screening test, which goes out to people aged between 50 and 74, except it is for people with symptoms.

“We as GPs request the test for them and it is sent to their home in the post.”

Despite initially seeking help from their GP practice for their symptoms, a number of people do not end up completing the FIT test.

Gemma stressed the importance of doing the test and how not completing it could lead to a potential delay in diagnosis.

“Some people can be put off by doing a stool test for a number of reasons,” she said.

“These tests have been used nationally for bowel cancer screening for years and there has been a lot of research into why some people don’t do it.

“But we are using them for people who have gone to their GP because they are worried about a symptom, yet some still don’t do the test.

“Not doing the test can delay a potential diagnosis. They need to be completed but if they aren’t, it slows things down and can even result in a missed cancer diagnosis.”

Gemma decided to look into the reasons why people weren’t completing their FIT tests, and teamed up with staff from City Health Local Cluster Collaborative (LCC) to contact patients directly.

Each GP practice within the LCC, which covers the south-east and central areas of Swansea, rang patients to try and discover why they hadn’t done their tests.

Gemma added: “We knew who had had a test requested by their GP practice and who hadn’t had a result.

“Each practice rang their own patients and we gave them a questionnaire which included questions such as if they received the kit, if they knew why they had the kit, did they understand what it was for and how to use it.

“We had 67 responses and some of them said they didn’t understand how to do the test, some said they were too uncomfortable to do it, some had been sent for blood tests by their doctor and those results were fine so they didn’t think they had to do the test.

“Some people had symptoms such as diarrhoea and waited until they felt better to do it, which we wouldn’t advise.

“We want patients to know that if they have received a test that they weren’t expecting or if they aren’t sure how to do it, they can just contact their GP practice and ask them.

“We can tell patients how to do the test or perhaps send them more information but we can’t help if patients don’t let us know.”

Dr David Howell is a GP partner at Kingsway Surgery, within City Health LCC, and was involved in the project.He said:

“If your doctor has requested a FIT test, it’s vitally important to complete it.

“The test looks for hidden blood in your stool, which can help us decide whether further investigations, like a colonoscopy, are needed.

“Delaying or not completing the test could lead to delays in diagnosing serious conditions, such as bowel cancer.

“A positive FIT test does not necessarily mean a serious condition, but it allows us to arrange further investigations if needed.

“On the other hand, a negative FIT result can be very reassuring and may mean no invasive procedures, such as a colonoscopy, are required.”

Once the tests have been sent off and the results come through, patients may be referred for further tests in hospital.

Gemma said: “It depends on each patient individually, but the referral may result in a test straight away, or they might get invited to see a consultant or might get invited for a scan.”

Rhys Jenkins, City Health LCC lead, said:

“We were pleased to be a part of Dr Eccles’ FIT test non-responder project.

“We are aware of perceived barriers to access within the cluster when considering our diverse and deprived population.

“We understand that there may be rationale in some cases when patients do not undertake tests that a GP may have advised so we were very interested in speaking to patients to understand these reasons.

“We are motivated to reduce health inequities for our population.”

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#bowelCancer #FaecalImmunochemicalTest #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Special milestone for Neath Port Talbot birth centre with arrival of baby Abigail

The service had been temporarily suspended for three years because of staffing pressures.

Fortunately, it was reopened in September 2024 thanks to a £750,000 investment by the health board and the recruitment of an additional 35 new staff to its maternity service.

Now, baby Abigail has became the 100th baby to be born there since the autumn after her mum, Agne Haue, chose to give birth in the centre last week.

Agne, who lives in Neath but is originally from Germany, said: “It was a really uncomplicated, straightforward birth, that happened really fast.

“I was looking forward to using the birthing pool but she decided to come way quicker than we expected.

“I went into labour at 11.30am, on 23rd April, and she arrived at 2.23pm.

“We went home the same day. It was uncomplicated and easy going. No complications at all.”

Agne, who was accompanied by her partner James, was full of praise for the staff.

She said: “Everything was amazing. The staff were warm, nice and welcoming. There’s nothing negative to say. Everything was just great. I couldn’t have expected it better.”

Agne was supported by midwife Julie Jones who also assisted the first arrival at the birth centre since its reopening.

Agne said: “She weighed 6lbs 12 ounces. They said that’s a good weight but to me she is a tiny, small baby.

“They called me two days later and said, ‘Congratulations you’re the hundredth!’ It’s a good achievement. We’re really happy about it.

“I would love to see the birthing centre thrive. That’s why we are sharing our story. I had such a good experience. I really wish that many other women are able to do the same in the future.”

Kathryn Greaves, Clinical Director of Midwifery in Neath Port Talbot, welcomed the latest milestone and said:

“Celebrating the 100th baby is a celebration for every baby born at the Birth Centre since its re-opening in September last year.  This signifies the importance that the service has for our families and communities.  

“Every birth at Swansea Bay is important to our teams and our families, celebrating the return of our Birth Centre and Home Birth services is important in celebrating the successful return of all birth choices for women and families.”

Head Midwife, Cath Harris, added:

“It is with great pleasure that we celebrate our 100th birth, with the arrival of a beautiful baby girl born on the 23rd April 2025, since reopening our services in Neath Port Talbot Birth Centre in September 2024.  

“A huge Congratulations to her mum and dad.”

The newly relaunched service didn’t have to wait long for its first arrival with Rafaellos Olding arriving less than 24 hours later at 3.50am on Tuesday, 17th September, 2024, weighing a healthy 8lbs 1oz.

Proud parents Isabella and Isaac Olding, from Morriston, were delighted that Rafaellos had held on for nine days past his due date so they could use the birthing pool in the refurbished facility. 

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#midwifery #NeathPortTalbotHospital #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Swansea unit’s national recognition for new system that cuts patients’ time recovering in hospital

A change in the procedure for these specific patients in Swansea Bay aims to cut the time spent in hospital post-surgery from seven days to five.

The change will also reduce the risk of catching infections commonly associated with hospital stays, and lower the chances of delirium particularly in older patients.

If the new system had been in place during 2024, it’s predicted that patients would have spent 1,638 fewer days in beds in the Cardiac Intensive Therapy Unit (CITU), High Dependency Unit (HDU) and on wards.

Reducing bed days is forecasted to save the health board over £2million, which includes staff resources and the equipment that would have been used in the previous method.

The changes also form part of CITU’s sustainability campaign, with savings of 204,750kg of C02 the equivalent of 38 trips around the world in an average petrol vehicle.

The success of the procedure has caught national attention, with CITU winning the Sustainability in Cardiothoracic Surgery Award at the Society for Cardiothoracic Surgery annual meeting in Edinburgh.

The department has also been nominated for three categories at the NHS Wales Sustainability Awards 2025 in June – improvement and innovation; service of the year and sustainability champion Wales award.

Staff nurse Kaylee Marson and Consultant Anaesthetist Dr Sameena Ahmed are leading the project with colleagues in the Enhance Recovery After Cardiac Surgery (ERACS) team, she said:

“We have researched this specifically for patients having elective cardiac and thoracic surgery, and they will benefit from a number of changes in our approach pre and post surgery.

“From the data we studied, we believe we can save two bed days per patient, which is split into one day in either CITU or HDU and then another day on a ward.

“The changes include supplying patients with a spirometer, which measures the amount of air they can breathe in and out, prior to surgery instead of the day after it.

“By doing it this way, it gives them a chance to read information on the device and practice ahead of their surgery, which means they will have a better technique and get the most out of the device. It benefits the patient as the spirometer increases lung capacity, which reduces the chance of collapsed lungs and infections post-surgery.

“We have also implemented a new pathway for ERACS which outlines the targets for patients, initially hour by hour when they arrive on CITU. The aim is to get them off using a ventilator less than four hours from when they were admitted into the unit, and, if successful, the patient will be encouraged to restart eating and drinking which obviously contributes to their recovery.

“We are also changing the fluid intake of our patients. We are giving them a large volume of carbohydrate drinks – if they’re not diabetic – prior to surgery because it can help the body prepare and recover from the procedure. It also prevents the effects of starvation.

“Patients are now walking to theatre, when possible, as research has suggested they feel more empowered doing that.

“All of those factors can help a patient go onto their unit or ward in better condition, and that results in them being discharged earlier from hospital to continue their recovery.”

The introduction of ERACS has got off to a successful start, with staff in different roles working closely together and with the patient to ensure they have as smooth a recovery as possible.

It has been implemented following a link-up with St Bartholomew’s Hospital in London, which Swansea Bay staff visited to see the system in operation in order to gain knowledge and experience of it before it was implemented in Morriston Hospital.

Kaylee added: “The input from staff plays a huge factor in all of this. The ERACS team works very closely with our physiotherapists so that we can ensure patients are better prepared physically post-surgery.

“Elizabeth Ford has taken a very big role in developing the pathway from a physio perspective while our consultants and nurses are also integral in this process, so it’s been a real success in terms of how we work as we’re helping patients recover in the comforts of their own home rather than on a ward or unit in hospital, where they are more exposed to picking up infections.

“While it takes a large multidisciplinary team to care for someone having cardiac surgery, a combination of knowledge, hard work and cooperation gives patients the best possible recovery.

“The new approach is now in place and it’s something patients and the health board’s staff and services will benefit from.”

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Innovative screening project helps identify people at risk of diabetes

Over the last year staff from the City Health Local Cluster Collaborative (LCC), have been working closely with Swansea Mosque to help identify people who are either pre-diabetic or have undiagnosed diabetes.

A team from SA1 Medical Centre, in St Thomas, have been using a point of care finger prick test to provide an instant average blood sugar level reading, known as a Hba1c.

Following the screening, all information, with the individual’s agreement, is shared with their GP, so the relevant follow-up can take place.

Caroline Ashwood, an advanced nurse practitioner at SA1 Medical Centre, said:

“We work on the same floor as the paediatric diabetes team, and they use the testing process for their consultations.

“It was this that gave us the idea and allowed the assertive outreach to take place.

“Swansea Mosque is based within our LCC, and it is one of the largest in the UK with around 10,000 members, so this was a great opportunity to bridge health inequalities.

“The team at Swansea Mosque were equally proactive in working together. They set up the online booking system and supported us on the screening days we have already carried out.

“Three screening days have taken place and approximately 140 individuals have been screened for diabetes, blood pressure, weight and atrial fibrillation.

“The results have been fantastic for the three sessions.”

Around a fifth of the people screened so far have been identified as pre-diabetic, with a further three being diagnosed as diabetic, which they were unaware of.

Dr Wynn Burke along with Dr Eleri Howells, Dr Pam Brown – all GPs at SA1 Medical Centre – and Caroline have worked voluntarily on the project.

Dr Burke said:

“Our practice population includes a significant Asian community who are known to be at higher risk of diabetes from a much younger age.

“We do a lot of diabetes screening in high-risk individuals as part of our normal practice. However, the percentage of our practice population with a diagnosis of Type 2 Diabetes remains below the expected ratio, therefore we sought to reach out and bridge potential health inequalities.

“This has been a positive experience and greatly welcomed by everyone in the mosque.”

A considerable number of younger people have been screened as part of the project, and it is hoped that educating them early on the lifestyle risks will help them make positive choices in the future.

“We have a real opportunity to educate this generation and make a difference to their future as it is well researched that this population can start to develop diabetes at the age of 25,” Dr Burke added.

“We are seeing patients within our screening days that really need to be seen.”

Staff spent around 12 hours screening patients during the first visit, with a further six hours of screening at each of the second and third visits.

Caroline said:

“Not only have we had great teamwork across primary and secondary care, but the executive team from Swansea Mosque have been brilliant to work with.

“We have also engaged some medical students who attend Swansea Mosque, and they have also been instrumental in making the screening days a positive experience.

“We have been supported by colleagues from secondary care and the paediatric diabetes team have been an incredible encouragement and support.

“Ruth Jones and her team from point of care testing in pathology have been instrumental in making this happen, along with cluster support.

“This project shows what we can accomplish with collaborative working.”

Rhys Jenkins, City Health LCC lead, said:

“We are very fortunate to have such a motivated team at SA1 Medical Centre working within our cluster.

“The project has been built on the passion and enthusiasm that Caroline has for diabetic care.

“City Health LCC is proud to be able to support the delivery of this project.

“We are driven to reduce health inequalities for our diverse population. We hope to build further on this excellent project.”

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#diabetes #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

National award for inspiring Swansea nurse leader

Hazel Powell was nominated for her work which has seen the number of patient falls in hospitals drop below the average for Wales and, through partnership working, a drastic decrease in falls in care homes.

She has also championed the training and career development of nurses and midwives at all levels, including those who have come from overseas.

Nursing Officer Gillian Knight presented the award to Hazel on behalf of CNO Sue Tranka and said:

“You have got a moral compass that is just right and an energy and enthusiasm to make things better for the profession that is evident and oozes from you. You’re a fabulous colleague and have the ability to bring a team along with you which is clear from the submission from your time here at Swansea Bay.”

Addressing her colleagues Hazel said:

“This means loads to me because it’s from you.”

Hazel is originally from Scotland and qualified as a registered mental health nurse in 1990.

She has been with the health board for nine years in all, starting in 2016 as Nurse Director Mental Health and Learning Disabilities.

Following a secondment to Welsh Government as a senior professional advisor to the Office of the Chief Nursing Officer, Hazel was Deputy Executive Director of Nursing and Patient Experience in Swansea Bay between March 2022 and March 2024.

She has held the role of Acting Executive Director of Nursing since 2024. She will continue her career in Devon Partnership NHS Trust as Chief Nursing Officer and Allied Professions lead.

The nomination, submitted by close colleagues, set out how Hazel led the development of Swansea Bay’s Quality Strategy and revised quality and safety structures, engaging with clinical and delivery groups and embedding new systems quickly.

She has also led the way in developing Swansea Bay as a great place to work for overseas nurses, ensuring they are supported to progress in their careers.

And, as a direct result of What Matters to Me? conversations with nurses and midwives, a Nursing and Midwifery Academy was established to offer a suite of development opportunities for nurses and midwives, including leadership programmes.

The CNO Excellence Awards recognise dedication, innovation and excellence in supporting the population of Wales.

Elizabeth Rix is due to take up the position of Executive Director of Nursing at Swansea Bay next month.

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

#nursing #Swansea #SwanseaUniversityHealthBoard

Swansea City’s goalkeeper Vigouroux backing hospital Cwtsh Clos appeal

Vigouroux has thrown his support behind Swansea Bay University Health Board’s Cwtsh Clos appeal, which is looking to raise £160,000 to completely upgrade five houses that are a stone’s throw away from Singleton Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) where families can stay to be near their babies.

Singleton’s NICU provides care for a large part of Wales, from Pembrokeshire to some areas north of Aberystwyth – hence the need to provide parents travelling long distances with accommodation to be near their little ones.

Vigouroux can empathise with parents whose babies have endured a difficult start to life, with his son Carmelo being born seven weeks early in Homerton Hospital in London.

Carmelo, now two, was cared for in Homerton’s NICU for three days and then its special care baby unit for 11 days before heading home with his parents.

As a result of his own experiences, he was delighted when his new club chose Swansea Bay Health Charity – the health board’s official charity – as their official charity partner for the 2024-25 season.

One of the highlights of the link-up between Swansea Bay and the city’s local football heroes takes place this Saturday (February 22) as the Swans host Blackburn Rovers in the Championship – a game the club has kindly dedicated to the appeal, with lots of fundraising activities on the day.

Vigouroux has been only too happy to support the appeal by sharing his own story. He said:

“It’s a brilliant appeal. It’s very important to a lot of families across large parts of Wales who have needed the unit.

“I can empathise with the families who have gone through it, or are going through it right now.

“I was one of the lucky ones as I only lived five minutes away from the hospital. My son was there for two weeks, but myself and my wife Shemika lived a few minutes away from the hospital so we could go back and forth.

“I really feel this is a very important appeal because not everyone is in that situation.

“The accommodation allows parents to be so close to their baby when they’re trying to get some rest at such a difficult time. The importance of that can’t be understated.

“To live an hour or two away from the hospital and to have to leave your baby to make that trip home and spend such a crucial moment of time away from them must be so, so hard.

“I’m delighted the club has linked up with the health board to back this campaign because as a father, I know how important it is.

“I’ve only been in Swansea a short while but I’m at a family-orientated club. Having that family feeling everywhere – in the club, the community, the city – really does help and I think this campaign will get excellent backing just like the fans give the team.”

The campaign is backed by musician and Swans matchday lounge host Mal Pope in memory of his grandson Gulliver, who was cared for in the NICU.

Mal’s kind support recently helped pave the way for Swansea City AFC to choose the Cwtsh Clos appeal as their official charity partner for the 2024-25 season.

If you would like to give an online donation to Cwtsh Clos, you can do that by clicking here.

To make a donation using your phone, please text ‘Donate Swanseabayhealth homes’ to 88802.

You can also visit the Cwtsh Clos webpage by going here for more information about the NICU centre and the fundraising appeal.

[Lead image: Swansea Bay University Health Board]

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