Victoria Heath has been appointed as Wales' first Chief
Healthcare Science Officer.
Victoria will advise the Welsh Government on the most effective
ways to use healthcare science to deliver improved healthcare,
including modernising and introducing new diagnostic technologies
and treatments.
She will support and represent more than 50 different roles
within the healthcare science professions in Wales.
Victoria comes from the NHS' ME-5 Pathology Network, where she
was responsible for the development and implementation of
workforce initiatives.
She has worked in the NHS since she was 18, starting her career
as a biomedical scientist trainee in Oxfordshire, and registered
as a biomedical scientist in 2010 and a clinical scientist in
2023. She has experience in healthcare science roles across
the UK and was deployed to Sierra Leone in 2015 to respond to the
West African Ebola Outbreak.
Victoria is also an award-winning science communicator and works
to raise the profile of careers in healthcare science.
Speaking about her new appointment, she
said:
“I'm honoured to be appointed to the role of Chief Healthcare
Science Officer at the Welsh Government and to work alongside the
7,000 healthcare scientists who contribute to healthcare across
Wales.
“Healthcare scientists are a vital part of the patient pathway
and I'm excited for this opportunity to raise their
profile.”
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care said:
“I am delighted to welcome Victoria as Wales' first dedicated
Chief Healthcare Science Officer.
“Her wealth of experience in healthcare science will be
instrumental in delivering better health outcomes for patients in
Wales through the development and adoption of innovative new
diagnostics and treatments. I look forward to working with
her.”
Victoria will take up her role in March 2025.
Notes to editors
- Healthcare Science has over 50 science professions across
laboratory, imaging (radiography), physiological, physiological,
bioinformatics, physical and biomedical engineering.
- Healthcare scientists make up 5% of the workforce in NHS
Wales but are involved in over 80% of all clinical
decisions.
- The Chief Healthcare Science Officer (CHSO) is a new role
that has been created to strengthen the use of scientific advice,
research and evidence in Health and Social Care. The role was
originally part of the responsibilities of the Chief Scientific
Advisor for Health (CSAH) but the increasing use of innovative
diagnostics and treatments and the leading role healthcare
science plays in this has necessitated the development of this
dedicated post.
- The CHSO will join the other chief advisors (Chief
Pharmaceutical Officer, Chief Allied Health Advisor, Chief Dental
Officer, Chief Optometric Advisor, Chief Midwifery Officer,
Senior Medical Officers and the Deputy Chief Medical Officers) in
leading their professions in Welsh Government, alongside the
Chief Nursing Officer and Chief Medical Officer.
