THE Welsh Ambulance Service has appointed a new board secretary.

Trish Mills joins the organisation from Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust in the West Midlands, where she was the trust secretary.

Prior to that, the Australian national held senior positions at Qatar-based Sidra Medicine including as director of legal services and executive director of corporate governance.

Trish, who currently lives in Staffordshire but who will be shortly returning to her home in Llanidloes, Powys, is the successor to Keith Cox, who retired last month.

She said: “I am thrilled to join the Welsh Ambulance Service family as board secretary and to return to Wales.

“I’m looking forward to working with the board, colleagues and partners over the coming weeks to learn more about the organisation and how we can ensure governance works in an integrated and streamlined manner.”

Chair Martin Woodford added: “We’re thrilled with the appointment of Trish, who brings with her a wealth of Board and governance experience in both healthcare and education.

“Her legal background and training lends itself to a focus on the regulatory environment in which the Trust operates, putting us in the best position to meet our strategic objectives.

“Good governance is key to the smooth-running of an organisation, and Trish’s passion for the mechanics and dynamics of good governance makes her a valuable addition to the Board.”

Chief executive Jason Killens praised former secretary Keith Cox for his work in the position, started in 2016.

Mr Killens said: “Keith came on board with a wealth of governance expertise and more than 20 years’ experience of working with Boards and their committees, as well as with senior managers and officials from both within and outside Government.

“His passion was for establishing and maintaining high standards of governance and assurance frameworks, equipping Boards and their committees to conduct business and to meet their objectives effectively underpinned by good governance principles.

“Keith has played a pivotal role in the running of our organisation, and never more so than through the pandemic, when good governance around our Covid-19 effort has been key.

“On behalf of the Board, I’d like to wish him all the very best on his retirement.”