The Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran welcomed Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal this week for its first ever Royal Visit since opening in 2020.
The Princess Royal’s visit celebrated the pioneering work of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s maternity services, which are leading the way in promoting cultural competence and delivering improvements outlined in the Welsh Government’s Anti-Racism Action Plan.
During the visit, Her Royal Highness toured the Maternity Unit at the hospital and met staff who have been instrumental in embedding cultural awareness and inclusion into every aspect of care. The Princess Royal also unveiled a commemorative plaque to mark the occasion.
Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s maternity service was recently recognised with the Diverse Cymru Silver Award for its commitment to creating a kind, supportive, and culturally competent service where care is personalised and focused on individual needs and cultures.
Innovations showcased during the visit included:
- A maternity volunteer scheme featuring individuals for whom English is an additional language, ensuring communities are represented and supported.
- Creation of multilingual resources, including videos for the Roma community, to provide accessible maternity information.
- Specialist clinics dedicated to supporting people with protected characteristics.
- A multi-disciplinary Equality Working Group that continually drives improvements in cultural competence and inclusion.
These achievements have been driven by passionate leadership within the maternity team, including Consultant Midwife Emma Mills, who was recognised in 2023 with the Chief Midwifery Officer Award and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Midwives.
Ann Lloyd CBE, Chair of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said: “Today marks a historic moment for The Grange University Hospital and for everyone across our Health Board.
“We were honoured to welcome Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal and to showcase the exceptional work of our maternity teams, who are setting national standards in cultural competence and inclusive care.
“This visit was a wonderful recognition of their dedication to ensuring that every person, from every background, receives safe, respectful, and personalised maternity care.”
Jayne Beasley, Head of Midwifery at Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, said: “It was an absolute privilege to share our journey with The Princess Royal today. Our team is passionate about creating an environment where every person feels valued, understood, and supported.
“The projects we’ve introduced – from community volunteer schemes to multilingual resources – have all come from listening to the voices of the people we serve.
“Today’s visit is a huge honour for our staff and for the communities who have worked with us to make this vision a reality.”
