Three nurses shared their stories of moving to west Wales at Hywel Dda University Health Board’s annual general meeting.

Sithara Kunjumol and Soniya Jose from Kerala, India, and Kandace Winter-Lawson from Trinidad and Tobago, spoke about leaving their families and home countries to pursue NHS nursing careers.

They expressed gratitude for the warm welcome received from Hywel Dda UHB and the communities.

Ms Winter-Lawson, a registered nurse in Glangwili Hospital’s A& department, said: "Moving from the warmth of Trinidad and Tobago to the freezing cold of London in January was quite an experience, but this was countered by the warm welcome, care and support from the outstanding team in Hywel Dda.

"I'm grateful for the amazing opportunities I have been given to progress my career here, and to be able to support other international nursing colleagues."

She also mentioned her career highlight of meeting the King at Buckingham Palace in November 2023.

Ms Jose, a junior sister in the same department, said: "I have been able to progress my career since joining Hywel Dda, including moving to a higher band role.

"I’m enjoying the opportunities to develop in the nursing profession and I’m proud to be able to provide greater support in A&E at Glangwili."

Ms Kunjumol, a registered nurse in the hospital’s Merlin Ward, echoed her sentiments, saying: "I am grateful to my managers, trainers and my colleagues for helping me settle in and empowering me to grow my career here in Hywel Dda.

"I also very much enjoy training and supporting other international nurses and helping them to adapt here."

The health board has welcomed 97 nurses and six doctors from the international community, alongside nurses from Wales and across the UK.

It continues to develop new approaches to recruitment and retention to strengthen its workforce for the future.

Neil Wooding, chairperson of Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: "It was incredibly moving to listen to Sithara, Soniya and Kandace sharing their experiences and I was very humbled to hear how much they feel welcomed and supported as part of our workforce family."

During its annual general meeting, the health board also reflected on the past year, reviewing the organisation’s annual report, and its financial accounts.

The main themes of the meeting included the health board’s progress against its strategic objectives, its ongoing recovery from the pandemic, new initiatives, and its performance against a number of measures.

The support of patients, families and communities for the health board’s charity, Hywel Dda Health Charities, was also recognised.

Examples were provided of fundraising activities which contributed to £2.66million charitable income.

Dr Wooding added: "This annual event gave us an opportunity to reflect on another busy year, but also to look ahead to 2024/25.

"While things are still very challenging for the NHS, we have a clear vision to help us recover from the impact of the pandemic."