Hywel Dda University Health Board and Swansea University will work together to help improve the health and well-being of communities in the three counties under a new agreement.
The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which commits to a partnership in several new areas, including increasing the number of honorary and jointly-funded posts in areas of mutual interest; improving the number and diversity of clinical trials across the region; focusing on new diagnostic technologies and commercial drug trials; and supporting the growth of educational programmes vital to the development of future models of service delivery.
Swansea University and Hywel Dda UHB have a longstanding partnership, which is of critical importance to the development of our workforce and improving the health, wealth, and wellbeing of communities right across west Wales.
The signing of the MoU recognises that strength and depth of partnership is only possible through the contributions of staff working across both organisations.
Hywel Dda UHB’s Chief Executive Steve Moore, Swansea University’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Boyle, and Professor Keith Lloyd, the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the Faculty of Medicine, Health and Life Science, marked these contributions at a ceremony to thank existing and new honorary appointees for all they do to make a partnership a success.
Mr Moore said: “The signing of this MoU builds on the long-standing relationship and good work that we have jointly undertaken with Swansea University, and we are really pleased to be continuing to work with the university in these new areas.”
Professor Boyle said: “We are very proud of the reputation our research and training in the fields of health and life science have earned. This has only been possible through successful collaborations with partners such as Hywel Dda. Now we are looking forward to building on this and working together even more closely to develop exciting projects for the future.”
Several developments over recent years demonstrate what the partnership can deliver across the region. An example of this is the development of a Primary Care Academy in Aberystwyth, which is developing the next generation of general practitioners within the region.
The growth of the campus at St David’s Park, Carmarthen, offers a high-quality nursing programme delivered within the three counties and several recent research and innovation projects, in areas including clinical engineering, cardiology, colorectal cancer, are ensuring that clinicians and patients across west Wales can access the latest innovations.