A SOLICITOR who has lived in Tenby for the past 30 years is to be the new chair of Hywel Dda University Health Board.

Maria Battle – who currently chairs the Cardiff and Vale UHB Health Board – has previously held a number of senior roles across the Welsh public sector, including the deputy Children’s Commissioner.

Her appointment, for a four-year term, was announced on Friday by Welsh health minister, Vaughan Gething.

Maria said that she was “happy to stay in the NHS and go home to Tenby where I have lived for the past 30 years.

“It will be wonderful to come home and use what I have learnt from Cardiff and Vale to build on the firm foundations laid by my predecessor, Bernadine Rees.”

On her appointment, Maria added: “I am delighted to have been appointed as chair of Hywel Dda and looking forward to working with all the dedicated and compassionate teams to continue to improve performance.

“ I have learnt in my eight years as a leader in the NHS that what is most important of all is to listen to our patients, our staff and our community so that we can work more effectively together to constantly improve our health service”.

Maria will take up her position with Hywel Dda after she leaves Cardiff and Vale on August 19.

Hywel Dda University Health Board provides healthcare services to a population of around 384,000 throughout Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.

Welcoming Maria to her new role, board chief executive, Steve Moore, said: “Maria joins us at a time of great change for NHS services in West Wales and I know that she will bring the same passion, enthusiasm and dedication to our health board as she has in her previous role at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.

“Having held a number of senior roles across the Welsh public sector, Maria brings with her a wealth of valuable experience and we are delighted with her appointment.”

On her appointment, Maria added: “I am delighted to have been appointed as chair of Hywel Dda and looking forward to working with all the dedicated and compassionate teams to continue to improve performance. I have learnt in my eight years as a leader in the NHS that what is most important of all is to listen to our patients, our staff and our community so that we can work more effectively together to constantly improve our health service”.

Maria’s legal speciality is public law and human rights, and she is a former lecturer in law.

As well as her previous role as deputy/acting Children’s Commissioner, she is a former senior director of Consumer Focus Wales, chair of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Standards Committee and the director of Age Concern, Ceredigion.

She has also been a non-executive director of the Principality Stadium and is currently a trustee of the National Museum of Wales and a lay member of the Board of Social Care Wales.