Welsh Ambulance Service Executive Team Becomes First in NHS Wales to Get Tweeting

The Welsh Ambulance Service has become the first NHS Wales organisation to have every member of its Executive Management Team on Twitter.

Senior figures within the Trust have signed up to the social media network in order to engage with patients, colleagues and partner agencies across Wales.

Claire Vaughan, Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development, recently used the platform to launch a workshop exploring career pathways within the ambulance service.

The #ClairesCafe hashtag was widely used throughout the day during an event at the Cardiff City Stadium, and helped to gather views from members of staff on how they would like to see both current and future roles develop within the Trust.

Estelle Hitchon, Director of Partnerships and Engagement, said: “Making sure that all of our executive members are signed up on Twitter is an important part of our wider strategy of engaging with colleagues across the NHS, as well as the three million people we serve across the country.

“The Claire’s Café event was a prime example of that, and helped us to find out how our staff want their careers to look.

“We value their opinions highly, and having that sort of interaction on social media is invaluable, especially when you have a workforce as mobile as ours spread around such a wide area.

“We also receive regular feedback from patients regarding their experience of using the service, which we’re always grateful for.

“Of course, this is no substitute for getting out there and meeting people, and that is also an important part of what we do.

“Our Trust Board meetings have become a very useful platform for engaging with people, hosting presentations from members of staff, patients and partner agencies.

“The next one is being held in Merthyr Tydfil on September 23rd and will also encompass our AGM. All are welcome to attend.”

Chief Executive Tracy Myhill encourages and invites questions and comments to her personally and any member of her Executive ‎Management Team on Twitter.

A full list of names and Twitter usernames can be found below…

Chief Executive Tracy Myhill: @TracyWAST
Executive Director of Finance and ICT and Deputy Chief Executive Patsy Roseblade: @PatsyWAST
Executive Director of Medical and Clinical Services Brendan Lloyd: @brendanWAST
Executive Director of Quality, Safety and Patient Experience Claire Bevan: @ClaireBevanWAST
Executive Director of Workforce and Organisational Development Claire Vaughan: @ClaireVWODI
Director of Operations Richard Lee: @acascw
Director of Planning and Performance Hannah Evans: @HANNAHDENS
Director of Partnerships and Engagement Estelle Hitchon: @EstelleHitcho