NHS Retirement Fellowship – Cymru

Michael Brown

Director – NHSRF

Michael Brown is into his third year as Director of the NHS Retirement Fellowship, having been appointed following a long career in NHS Management. After holding senoir positions in Manchester Hospitals for some fifteen years,  towards the end of his career Michael led a team sponsored by Macmillan Cancer Relief to establish quality standards for cancer care in primary care for the National Cancer Action Team.

The first task on taking up post was to secure the financial future of the Fellowship. Whilst finance inevitably remains uncertain in the current economic climate, a good rapport has been established by Michael and the Development Officers in England with Strategic Health Authorities, and by John Toman with the Welsh Assembly. Similar good relations exist with the Health Departments in Northern Ireland and Scotland. These relationships have secured grant aid towards maintaining our National functions and benefits for members. The Fellowship Lottery is now established, and whilst there has already been a  £2000 winner, the initiative has so far only attracted a small number of players. Getting the current 170 weekly ticket sales up to 1000 ( a small proportion of our total membership) would generate £15,000  for the Fellowship. All profits would be ploughed back for member benefits.

The Director intends to give prominence to Training and Education events for the benefit of members. Courses were recently run in Woking and Edinburgh for those members expressing an interest in becoming more actively involved in their branch affairs. An event is planned in London for National Members towards retaining their interest in the Fellowship and getting them more involved. More events meeting the needs and interests of members will be organised to supplement our main event the Annual Conference and Annual General Meeting, which in 2009 is being held from 3 to 6th July at Alvaston Hall Nantwich, Cheshire.

As we now have an age profile scewed to the older age bands, Michael is giving top priority to recruiting new members and establishing more branches, to secure our future, and to remain influential as a United Kingdom wide retirement association for NHS staff. John Toman in Wales, and  the other Development Officers throughout the UK are focussed on this objective. They need all members to assist with this aim, as face to face contacts with colleagues and friends from the NHS will always be the most effective source of recruitment.

A partnership has been established with Paymaster Xafinity ( the organisation that pays NHS pensions), who now publish our Newsletter "Fellowship", in full colour, together with their own magazine "Club Together". This complements the Welsh Newsletter "Update" It is important to the Director that we keep all members in touch with Fellowship matters using a media that is enjoyable and easy reading .

Michael has now chaired the last three Annual Welsh Conferences, and prizes the contact he has had with the Welsh membership. He looks forward to meeting up again with friends and colleagues in Wales.

John Toman

Fellowship Officer – Wales

I am delighted to welcome you to the NHSRF CYMRU website. This site which is linked to the main NHSRF website www.nhsrf.org.uk should be seen as your own e-forum for news, views and debate.

The NHSRF in Wales aims to provide a bridge between life in the NHS and retirement. The intention of this website in partnership with UPDATE magazine is to provide knowledge about the existance and work of the Fellowship and information about the progress of the NHS in Wales.

This site will be an ever developing one as more

and more members interact and become involved. Ideas or suggestions on how to develop or improve this site will be much appreciated. With your help, this site can go on to achieve much greater things.

Diolch Yn Fawr.