Hospital care worker dies after testing positive for coronavirus
A HEALTHCARE assistant died after testing positive for coronavirus following an outbreak at a Welsh hospital.
Mark Simons, a healthcare assistant and Unite representative, worked at Royal Glamorgan Hospital but died on Tuesday after contracting coronavirus.
The hospital has been hit by an outbreak of coronavirus in which 56 people have died with the virus. It has not been confirmed if Mr Simons contracted Covid-19 in the workplace.
In total, 127 people have died with coronavirus after contracting it in Cwm Taf Morgannwg Hospitals. Some 25 have died at the Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr, 40 at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend and six at Maesteg Hospital.
Mark was a senior health and safety representative of union Unite and sat on several important committees within Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.
He was the lead rep within the Unite branch for all matters relating to health and safety. Within the organisation Mark was the vice-chair of the staff side health and safety committee.
Unite Wales secretary Peter Hughes said: “This is devastating news for Mark’s family, his work colleagues and for our union.
“Mark worked tirelessly within the Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board on behalf of our members.
“He was an outstanding health and safety rep who used his knowledge and great experience to protect workers within the health board, both before and during the current pandemic.
“Mark was an extremely active and influential H&S rep within the Unite Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Branch.
“He was tenacious and committed and never afraid to challenge when he encountered failings.
“Mark always did his best for the workers he represented regarding health and safety at work.
“Mark’s sad death again displays the potential risks that NHS workers have to contend with, day in, day out.
“In tribute to Mark’s work, Unite will continue to do everything it can to ensure NHS workers are protected from Covid-19 in the workplace.
“NHS staff are the true heroes of this pandemic, and their continued safety is our primary objective”.
In September a major outbreak of coronavirus was confirmed to have taken place at Royal Glamorgan Hospital.
Dean Fackrell, senior Unite representative at Cwm Taf Morgannwg, added: “Mark had an incredible knowledge of health and safety legislation and procedures.
“He was committed to the safety of all staff and the Unite branch on his advice when dealing with anything that had an H&S element to it.
“I’m sure I speak not only for myself but the other workplace reps within Cwm Taf Morgannwg when I say that he will be greatly missed by all of us.”