A Tenby doctor has been awarded an Honorary Professorship by Aberystwyth University for her knowledge and expertise in sexual and reproductive healthcare.

Dr Helen Munro is a consultant with the Hywel Dda Health Board, however her voice has extended across the UK in her mission to rise standards in her professional capacity, both to patients and their medical teams.

During her career she has been a guest on Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour and has also run blogs aimed at helping health workers tackle the ‘thriving or barely surviving’ battle which they are currently having to endure.

“The current financial constraints on our services will continue, and resources will remain tight for the foreseeable future,” Dr Munro posted in one of her previous blogs.

“But we will continue to provide high standards of care for our patients, often going beyond our job descriptions to help and to show care. Because that’s what we do.

“But I challenge you not to allow this to be at the detriment of your own good mental health.”

Two other senior Hywel Dda leaders who have been awarded the Honorary Professorship are Huw Thomas, director of finance, who hails from Pontsian near Llandysul, and Dr Leighton Phillips, the Board’s director of research, innovation and university partnerships.

Huw read geography at Oxford University before becoming a chartered accountant while working at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in the City of London.

He worked within the banking sector before moving into the NHS with the Royal United Hospital in Bath, the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and now as Executive Director of Finance, Digital and Performance at Hywel Dda University Health Board.

Huw has also served as a Council Member for the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland and as a trustee for the Healthcare Financial Management Association. He is currently a Trustee for the Centre for Local Economic Strategies.

“On behalf of the Board I would like to offer my warmest congratulations to Helen, Leighton and Huw on their appointment as Honorary Professors,” commented Steve Moore, chief executive of Hywel Dda University Health Board.

"Our partnership with the university continues to go from strength to strength and we look forward to continuing our vital work together in the future.”

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The announcement has also been welcomed by Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice Chancellor at Aberystwyth University.

“I’m delighted to welcome our three new Honorary Professors, who together will bring decades of experience to our research and teaching,” she said.

“Their expertise will further contribute to the role we have to play as a university in helping improve healthcare provision for everyone.”