Memorial opened at Wrexham Maelor Hospital during Armed Forces Week
19/06/2023
To kick start the Armed Forces Week celebrations Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has officially opened its new memorial area outside Wrexham Maelor Hospital.
The Health Board also held Armed Forces flag raising ceremonies at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd to show support for staff and patients who are in or have family in the Armed Forces Community, either currently serving, veteran or reservists.
On Monday, June 19th Wrexham Maelor Hospital raised the flag alongside the official opening of its memorial area outside the main entrance of the hospital, which includes benches, three new flag poles and three bespoke stone memorials with engraved plaques dedicated to the Armed Forces, Blue Light Services and the third sector / voluntary service providers.
Zoe Roberts, Armed Forces Covenant and Veteran Healthcare Collaborative Lead, said: “I am thrilled to see the newly commissioned memorial site now in place, which will offer staff, patients and their families a place of remembrance, a place for a period of reflection and an opportunity to pay respects to those whom we have lost.
“Through this dedicated memorial site, we are able to celebrate the efforts of our Blue Light Services, the Armed Forces community and also the third sector voluntary organisations, all of whom have served and continue to serve our population of North Wales, whether that be in terms of healthcare provision, or national security. We offer our thanks.”
The Health Board has been working collaboratively with all other Welsh Health Boards, to run All-Wales events for staff to get involved in to celebrate the Armed Forces Community, including flag raising ceremonies, online webinars on themes of forces families, LGBTQ+ and a veteran’s lived experience with support from the NHS and Armed Forces Covenant.
A Reserves Day will be held on Wednesday June 21st for staff who are Reservists to wear their uniform to work and be part of the celebrations.
Earlier this year the Health Board launched a new programme called the North Wales Veterans Healthcare Collaborative (NWVHC) to ensure that the Armed Forces Community across North Wales are not disadvantaged in the care they receive, and where possible, that they receive personalised care and improve patient outcomes.
The Health Board’s three acute hospitals Wrexham Maelor, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and Ysbyty Gwynedd have also received accreditation as Veteran Aware hospitals, which means they are raising veteran awareness, identifying veterans being referred for treatment, and striving to improve the recruitment and retention of veterans across the Health Board’s workforce.
Last year the Health Board signed the new Step into Health pledge, which aims to support career opportunities for members of the Armed Forces Community by setting up training opportunities, work placements, insight days, and offering application support.
The Health Board also has a Gold Award for the Government’s Employer Recognition Scheme for the multi-channel support and salutes to past and present Service personnel, and demonstrates it’s an exemplar to other large employers and armed forces friendly employer.