This Week is Disability Awareness Week

During Disability Awareness Week we would like to share with you Rhys’ journey as an Engage to Change Project SEARCH intern at Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB.

In the space of two years, Rhys Harris, 25,(pictured fourth from left) went from a college student to a vital frontline NHS worker. Rhys started the ‘Engage to Change Project SEARCH’ supported internship at Princess of Wales Hospital in September 2018. During his first placement, Rhys joined the pharmacy department where he gained confidence on how to book in medications on the pharmacy systems as well as a range of other general tasks. Rhys’ placement in the pharmacy department was so successful that he decided he would stay in the same placement for the duration of his intern.

After Rhys graduated from the internship he continued to work in pharmacy on a voluntary basis, until a job vacancy for a full-time pharmacy assistant became available.  Rhys was supported by the project and successfully interviewed for the role, working through the pandemic as a pharmacy assistant.  Rhys has been vital in ensuring that patients at the hospital receive their prescriptions and  that  wards are stocked with the necessary  medications. Whilst Rhys admits it was challenging to work in the hospital during the pandemic, he is also very proud of the essential and vital work that he was able to do to support the NHS and is looking forward to progressing in his role.

The Engage to Change Project SEARCH supported internship at the Princess of Wales hospital is run in partnership between Engage to Change, DFN Project SEARCH, Bridgend College, and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.

Meet the interns 2021/2022 based at the Princess of Wales Hospital Meet the Interns: Engage to Change Project SEARCH at Princess of Wales Hospital 2021/2022 - YouTube

The Engage to Change project is delivered in partnership between Learning Disability Wales, Agoriad Cyf, ELITE and the National Centre for Mental Health at Cardiff University, It is funded by the National Lottery Community Fund and Welsh Government.

For more information on The Engage to Change Project visit Engage to Change