Cabinet Minister for Health and Care, Mabon ap Gwynfor, has confirmed Phil Berrington as the new Chair of the Welsh Ambulance Services University NHS Trust.
Phil will take up his post on October 1, following the departure of current chair, Colin Dennis, who is leaving the Welsh Ambulance Service to take up a role as the first Group Chair of the South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) and South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb).
With a long career in financial management and consulting with global organisations, including Hewlett Packard, PwC and IBM, Phil is currently Deputy Chair at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust and Isle of Wight NHS Trust.
Speaking about his appointment, he said: “I am delighted to be joining the Welsh Ambulance Service at a key time in its evolution. With work beginning on a new long-term strategy, a new Welsh Government and a real focus on improving patient care and experience, it’s an exciting time to take on the Chair role.
“I look forward to working with the Board and to getting out and about to meet our people and partners so that I can bring a real 360 lens to my role and ensure that the decisions we make are always with the best interests of patients, the public and our workforce at their core.”
Outgoing Chair, Colin Dennis, welcomed Phil and said it was a bittersweet moment as he handed over the reins.
“I’ve had a fantastic few years at the Welsh Ambulance Service. It is an organisation driven by the passion of its people, and I am pleased to be able to hand over to someone of Phil’s calibre. I know he’ll be a real asset and support the organisation to meet its full potential.”
Phil lives in south Powys and has two adult children, both of whom have worked in the NHS. In his spare time, he is an avid road cyclist and hiker who has travelled extensively, including spending a great deal of time in India.
