Tributes have been paid to the woman who led a Welsh health board through the Covid pandemic after she died at home following a battle with cancer. Ros Jervis had been Hywel Dda University Health Board’s director of public health since 2017.
She had only recently retired to spend more time with her family and friends while she received treatment for her illness. Sadly, she died at her home near Cardigan on Friday. She has been credited with leading the health board’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic and been described by colleagues as a “consummate professional” who was “cheerful and heart-warming” and who “brought light and joy to any situation”.
Before taking up one of the most senior health roles across the region of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire five years ago, she was director of public health at the City of Wolverhampton Council and was also an active member of the National Council for the Association of Directors of Public Health, where she held the lead role for sector led improvement.
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Before she died, Ms Jervis requested that trees are planted in her memory, something her family is now hoping to arrange alongside Hywel Dda University Health Board. Her family has also raised almost £2,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support over the past few months.
Maria Battle, the health board’s chair, said: “During her time with us, Ros has been a fantastic leader and colleague, ensuring that we have been able to develop the long-term view for a sustainable future that focuses on prevention, with leadership and power for decision making coming from within our own communities now being a possibility for our residents, through 'our future generations - living well' strategy. We know this was one of Ros’ proudest achievements of her career.
“Ros also led us over the past two years through the biggest public health emergency to have hit us in our lifetime. Ros was instrumental in setting up one of the first response groups to consider how we might prepare for Covid-19, and we have no doubt we were able to face this challenge on a stronger footing because of her diligence and her personal sacrifices in this area.”
Professor Philip Kloer, the health board’s medical director and deputy chief executive, said: “We know that anyone who had the pleasure of working with Ros will miss her terribly. She was much more than a colleague to so many of us and our thoughts are with her family and her friends during this sad time.”
Dyfed-Powys Police has also paid tribute to someone who was "absolutely instrumental" during the coronavirus pandemic. A spokeswoman for the force said: "It is with great sadness that we have learned of the death of our very valued and respected colleague, Ros Jervis.
"Ros was a brilliant and gifted individual, who played a leading role in the development and delivery of the ‘Public Health Offer’ for a number of years and was absolutely instrumental to the partnership response to the pandemic. She had notable achievements throughout her career, which made a real difference to people’s lives. She will be greatly missed by us all in Heddlu Dyfed-Powys Police, and our thoughts are very much with her family, friends and colleagues."
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