Thank you for the support – COVID-19 vaccine support

Hywel Dda University Health Board (UHB) is thanking the many partner organisations and people who have helped implement the COVID-19 vaccination programme – the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history.

Within the health board, people who have gone above and beyond to support the programme include those who have been deployed from their existing roles, including school nurses, theatre staff and medical records staff.

Many staff are also working additional shifts on days off, during annual leave and on weekends. Integral to supporting people to book their appointments have been our call handlers at our COVID-19 command centre who have been taking up to 1,000 calls a day.

The administrative support alone for a programme of this scale has required over 60 new administrative staff and a number of volunteers, without whom we would not be able to vaccinate at such speed.

Volunteers and council staff have supported meet and greet roles, administrative duties and car park marshalling with vital support also received from transport groups and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

The health board has also received support from the Royal Air Force. RAF Northolt has been supporting our rollout since the beginning of January and more recently we have welcomed the additional help of RAF Honington and RAF Coningsby.

Ros Jervis, Director of Public Health at Hywel Dda UHB, says: “Thanks to the support of a huge number of people, GP practices, organisations and local services, we have been able to roll out the vaccination programme at great speed. Since our first vaccine was administered in December, we have managed to deliver a first dose of the vaccine to over 20% of our population.

“This would not have been possible without the tireless commitments from everyone involved. You have my sincerest gratitude.”