In the Spotlight: Kennedy Okereafor

26 February 2026

This month, we are pleased to spotlight Senior IT Support Officer Kennedy Okereafor, who has worked at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board for almost four years. In April 2024, Kennedy joined a new team providing IT support for the digital system for prescribing and administering medication, called electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration (ePMA).  

Kennedy holds a Master's degree in Information Technology and previously worked briefly for several IT companies before joining the Health Board. Before that he worked as a Health Care Support Worker. "That experience gave me a real understanding of what it’s like to work in a Health Board and what patient care is truly about,” he said.  

Speaking about why he wanted to join the ePMA support desk, Kennedy said: “It was such a significant project and something I wanted to contribute to, bringing my knowledge and expertise in mobile device deployment to help ensure it was delivered successfully.” 
 
As part of the ePMA team, Kennedy configures the mobile devices and laptops that are used by healthcare professionals to prescribe and administer medicines electronically, replacing traditional paper drug charts.  

“Before the service goes live on a ward, we visit to ensure that all IT devices required for a smooth deployment, including printers, PCs and laptops, are fully functional and ready for use. On go-live days, we’re on site to support staff. We also manage business continuity devices to ensure continuity of service should any access issues arise. Much of our work happens behind the scenes, but it directly supports clinicians on wards and helps ensure patients receive their medication safely and on time. 

“It's very easy not to see the effort we put in, but there's a huge amount of work that goes on in configuring the devices, managing, deploying and troubleshooting them. And those are the things that I enjoy.”

Around 70% of inpatient wards across the Health Board now use the ePMA including wards within St David’s Hospital, Barry Hospital, University Hospital Llandough and the University Hospital of Wales. So far, Kennedy and the team have configured and deployed around 800 devices, iPads, phones, and laptops on wheels. 

The technology helps to reduce the potential for medication errors and makes the delivery of care safer and more efficient. Kennedy said: “With ePMA being a digital service, it reduces the risk of paper charts going missing. There’s an audit trail, which improves accuracy and accountability, and the service is mostly available when clinicians need it.”  

He said: “We've taken our time to configure the devices; to lock them down and make them more secure so they can only be used for their intended purpose. That ensures they remain secure and reliable in clinical environments.” 

Kennedy speaks passionately about his role: “What I enjoy most is the problem-solving part of the job, resolving IT issues and providing the technical support that enables clinicians to focus on patient care. There’s always a need to respond quickly to maintain service availability. I’m really enjoying the journey so far and it’s been an amazing experience.” 

People are at the centre of everything we do. Those who work at Cardiff and Vale University Health Board make a difference to people’s lives every single day. 

Each month, the In The Spotlight campaign shines a light on the different people who make up Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, from those who support behind the scenes, to those who have passions that led them to work in their role. 

As an organisation with over 17,000 colleagues, the campaign will highlight the variety of roles, teams and individuals across the health board. Working in the NHS can be life-changing, both for colleagues and for the patients they help.