HEIW staff rewarded for contribution to teaching in NHS Wales

Two of Health Education and Improvement Wales’ (HEIW) leading medical staff have been honoured for their commitment to training.

Dr Heidi Phillips, HEIW Independent Board Member, was named Clinical Teacher of the Year by the BMJ/BMA Cymru Wales.  

Heidi, who is Associate Professor for Primary Care at Swansea University Medical School, also took home the award for Teaching and Learning Innovation at the BMA’s Clinical Teacher of the Year Awards 2019.

The awards, which took place in Cardiff, recognise teachers who have excelled in their work, supporting doctors in training and medical students in Wales.

The judges praised Heidi, a GP in South Wales since 2001, for her innovative and inspiring work on widening access to potential medical students and developing recruitment initiatives in primary care and in underserved communities in Wales.

Dr John Rees, GP Training Programme Director at HEIW, was also recognised by the BMA in the category of Outstanding Achievement. 

John has worked as a GP in Llandovery for over 30 years and is the Admissions lead for the Graduate Entry Medicine programme at Swansea University Medical School.

John’s colleagues describe him as a born teacher and say the award is the culmination of many years’ dedication to the delivery of exceptional medical education.  

Professor Push Mangat, HEIW Medical Director, said: “We are delighted to celebrate the achievements and outstanding contributions of our staff as clinical teachers and educators.

“These awards honour those who play a critical role in clinical teaching, creating better care for our patients across the health service and providing a great experience for trainees, here in Wales. The recognition of the winners could not be more deserved.”

The nominees for the national awards come from local awards given by HEIW, Swansea University Medical School, and Cardiff University School of Medicine. The winners of the individual awards were considered by an independent panel of judges who then decided the overall all-Wales winner.

ENDS 

Notes to editor: 

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) was established on 1 October 2018. It is a special health authority within NHS Wales created by bringing together three key organisations for health: the Wales Deanery; NHS Wales’s Workforce Education and Development Services (WEDS); and the Wales Centre for Pharmacy Professional Education (WCPPE).     

Sitting alongside health boards and trusts, HEIW has a leading role in the education, training, development, and shaping of the healthcare workforce in Wales. Its key functions include education and training, workforce development and modernisation, leadership development, strategic workforce planning, workforce intelligence, careers, and widening access.    

Further information can be found at https://heiw.nhs.wales/