Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust has appointed five new anaesthesia consultants to compliment appointments in general surgery, orthopaedics and gynaecology at Withybush Hospital. The new consultants will provide cover for an expansion in the intensive care and high dependency unit at the hospital. Said consultant anaesthetist Dr. Robert Griffiths: "The Trust was delighted to attract a strong field of 32 candidates to fill vacant posts across the Trust. The five appointments we have made cover all the specialities required for the new department and will augment the expertise and level of care available to our patients." Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust chief executive Keith Thompson added: "We are particularly pleased to have been able to fund these new appointments within budget in order to strengthen the services available at Withybush Hospital." The five consultants appointed are: Dr. Sunita Agarwal, from London, appointed to a general anaesthetic post, who currently works at Chase Farm Hospital in Barnet, having completed specialist registrar training in anaesthesia in North Thames Deanery. Dr. Mohamed Abbas Hashem, from Swansea, also appointed to a general anaesthetic post. He is a specialist registrar in the Welsh School of Anaesthesia and has completed a Fellowship in chronic pain management at the McMaster University in Canada. Dr. Susmita Oomman, from Cambridge, who is a specialist registrar at Addenbrookes Hospital and offers expertise in chronic pain therapy, having completed a Chronic Pain Fellowship at the McMaster University in Canada. Dr. Alun Griffiths Rees, from Cardiff, who takes up a post in obstetric anaesthesia. He was formerly a specialist registrar training in anaesthetics and intensive care at the Welsh School of Anaesthesia. Dr. Ilona Schmidt, from Surrey, who has specialist experience in intensive care. She currently works at the Royal Surrey Hospital in Guildford and has completed a research fellowship at the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospital National Heart and Lung Institute in London. In addition to the five consultants appointed, the Trust has also successfully recruited to its vacant registered nursing positions in both general and mental health services. Said Caroline Oakley, director of nursing: "We were able to employ the student nurses who were trained locally and a number from other areas in both Wales and England."