Health

New Covid vaccine arrives first in West Wales

Published

3 years ago

April 12, 2021

THE FIRST person in the UK to receive the Moderna vaccine against Covid-19 got their jab at 8:30 in the morning of Wednesday, April 7, at West Wales General Hospital.

The recipient was Elle Taylor, aged 24. Ms Taylor is an unpaid carer from Ammanford.

Speaking after receiving the vaccine, the 24-year-old, who works at a further education college, said: “I’m very excited and very happy.

“I’m an unpaid carer for my grandmother, so it is very important to me that I get it, so I can care for her properly and safely.

“My grandmother has had her first dose and she is going for her second dose on Saturday.”

Miss Taylor said she only found out on Tuesday evening that she was to be the first in the UK to receive the jab by Moderna, an American company.

HEALTH BOARD ‘DELIGHTED’

The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) authorised the Moderna vaccine as safe and effective in January 2021 following rigorous clinical trials.
Moderna is the third Covid-19 vaccine distributed in the UK.
Two other vaccines, the Pfizer vaccine and the Astra Zeneca vaccine, are already in use across the UK. 31 million people across the UK have received their first shot of one of those vaccines since the inoculation programme began in December last year.
Supplies arrived in Wales on Tuesday, April 6.
5,000 doses were delivered to vaccination centres in the Hywel Dda University Health Board area.
The Moderna vaccine is a two-dose vaccine given at an interval of between four and twelve weeks.
Ros Jervis, Director of Public Health for Hywel Dda University Health Board, added: “We’re delighted to be able to use the Moderna vaccine for deployment across west Wales.
“We will be using this new vaccine, alongside Oxford Astra-Zeneca, to continue the immunisation’s roll out to our communities in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire.
“We are incredibly lucky to have a third vaccine in Wales, with a long shelf life and the ability to be easily transported, to help deliver the vaccination programme to small clinics across our rural communities.”

THE MODERNA VACCINE EXPLAINED

The Moderna vaccine does not contain the virus to produce immunity.
It cannot give you COVID-19.
The injection stimulates the body’s natural defences (immune system). It works by making the body produce its own protection (antibodies) against the virus that causes the COVID-19 infection.
The vaccine delivers the ‘instructions’ that cells in the body can use to make antibodies to fight the virus that causes COVID-19.
As with any vaccine, Moderna may not fully protect all those who receive it. Those who get it may not be fully protected until two weeks after the vaccine’s second dose.
In trials, the vaccine was 94.1% effective in preventing Covid-19 infection in patients with no prior history of the disease. It was 100% effective in preventing patients from developing the severe Covid-19 symptoms that lead to hospitalisation.
Although the Moderna vaccine is the priciest of the vaccines yet rolled out, it has an advantage over the Pfizer vaccine. It can be stored in a regular fridge for up to fourteen days after its delivery to a vaccination centre.
It contains no ingredient derived from animals.

A KEY MILESTONE

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: “This is another key milestone in our fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. The third vaccine for use in Wales significantly adds to our defences in the face of coronavirus. It will help to protect our most vulnerable.
“Every vaccine given to someone in Wales is a small victory against the virus, and we would encourage everyone to go for their vaccine when invited.
“If people cannot attend their appointment, we ask them to let the health board know via the contact details provided in their invitation as this vaccination slot can be offered to someone else rather than be wasted.
“Once you have been vaccinated, you should continue to follow guidance, staying two metres apart, washing your hands and wearing a face covering to protect those around you.
“I want to thank all those who have been working tirelessly to deliver the vaccine across Wales and help us meet our second milestone of offering a vaccine to all phase one priority groups. I also want to thank the 1.5 million people in Wales that have already come forward for their vaccine and done their bit in this national effort.”
Welsh Conservative deputy health spokesperson and candidate for Ceredigion and Mid and West Wales, Amanda Jenner, said: “The Conservative UK Government’s decision to go it alone has been fully vindicated with the phenomenal results of the British vaccination programme.
“The roll-out of the Moderna vaccine, administered by our outstanding NHS and volunteers, will boost our ability to protect Welsh people and restore our freedoms.”

VACCINE SUPPLIES

Starting from the middle of last year, the UK Government secured a deliberate oversupply of vaccine to ensure continuity of supply.
As part of that strategy, the Department of Health placed provisional orders – pending approval by the medicines’ regulator – of seven different vaccines in different stages of development.
The UK has ordered 40 million doses of Pfizer’s vaccine, 100 million doses of the Oxford vaccine, and 17 million doses from Moderna.
A further four vaccines are either in clinical trials or awaiting MHRA approval: Novavax (60 million doses, Janssen (30 million doses), Valneva (60 million doses), GlaskoSmithKline (60 million doses).
The number of Covid-19 vaccine doses on order is enough to fully inoculate the UK’s entire population twice.

BOARD STATEMENT ON VACCINATION PROGRAMME

194,057 people in our three counties have now received their first dose of the vaccine, and 47,087 people are fully vaccinated having received both doses.
We will have offered a first dose of the vaccine to all those in priority groups 5-9 by Sunday 18 April.
To ensure no one is left behind, this week the health board has launched an appeal asking people in groups 1 to 9 who have not been contacted to get in touch to arrange their first vaccine dose.
If one or more of the following applies to you and you have not received your first vaccine appointment, please contact the health board on 0300 303 8322 or by email [email protected].uk by Friday 16 April:

are aged 50 or over
are aged 16 to 64 and have underlying health conditions that put you at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality
work in a care home or in health and social care in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion or Pembrokeshire
are the primary unpaid carer of an elderly or disabled adult who is at increased risk of COVID-19 mortality, or a child with severe neuro-disabilities

Please be patient if you haven’t been contacted about your vaccine yet and we politely ask that you do not contact the health board or your GP to ask about your vaccine. You will be contacted when it is your turn.

THE SECOND DOSE

Second doses are essential for longer-term protection, so it’s important that everyone comes forward for their full course when called.
When you will be contacted for your second vaccine dose depends on which vaccine you have received.
We are asking anyone who received the Pfizer vaccine and has not received a second vaccine appointment yet, to get in touch as soon as possible on 0300 303 8322. Please note our phone lines get very busy at times and you may have to wait for the call to be answered. You can also contact us by emailing your name and contact phone number to [email protected].uk
The health board aims to complete all second Pfizer vaccine doses by week commencing Monday 12 April.
To check which vaccine you received, look at the card given to you when you received your first vaccine. It will say if you received either the Pfizer BioNtech vaccine or the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine.
If you received a first vaccine dose of the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine, we politely ask that you do not contact your GP practice or health board at this time to ask about a second vaccine appointment. You will be contacted when it is your turn for a second dose – we are calling those who received a Pfizer first dose at this time.
Care home residents, people aged over 80 and all other priority groups who have received the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine at the GP surgery will be contacted between 11 to 12 weeks following their first vaccine with an appointment time.
Confidence is building around the effectiveness of the vaccines.

Emerging evidence is clear on the impact of the vaccine in preventing severe disease and hospitalisation. That is now playing out in admissions to our hospitals, and thankfully, numbers of deaths from coronavirus being reported.
UK and EU regulators have also been very clear about the safety of the vaccines. The benefits of vaccination far outweigh any possible risks.

All three vaccines are safe and effective.

Community

Baby loss remembrance service at Withybush Hospital

Published

11 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE ANNUAL baby loss remembrance service will take place on Tuesday 1 October 2024 at St Luke’s Chapel in Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest at 7.00pm.

The ‘Forget Me Not’ service is part of the health board’s commitment to Baby Loss Awareness week (9-15 October) and is arranged by Midwifery and Bereavement teams and led by the Spiritual Care Department (Chaplaincy).

Euryl Howells, Senior Chaplain at Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “Experiencing the loss of a baby is an incredibly painful experience, and the service allows parents and their families to reflect and remember surrounded by support and love.

The service has long been a source of comfort for parents and families and will include prayers and readings, as well as poems and music to reflect. The service offers the opportunity for people to come together and remember the lives of babies who are sadly no longer with us.

Euryl Howells continued: “The loss of a baby through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death is overwhelming and emotional. We meet families during some of their darkest days and to meet them sometimes after months or years after their bereavement is a privilege and special to staff.”

Should you require further information please contact Euryl Howells by telephone or email 01267 227563 or [email protected]

If you are unable to attend the service and wish to commemorate your loved one, please send a message to [email protected] by 29 September 2024.

Health

St Davids Surgery will close despite strong opposition, residents told

Published

14 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Tom Sinclair

HYWEL DDA has confirmed the closure of St Davids Surgery this week, dismissing widespread local opposition and calls for reconsideration. This decision follows a packed public meeting where residents voiced their concerns about the loss of the vital healthcare facility.

The announcement to close the surgery was made in July, with the health board revealing that the surgery would shut down next month when its only GP resigns from the General Medical Services contract. Around 3,000 patients are registered at the surgery and will now be transferred, mainly to Solva Surgery, with others sent to Fishguard and Haverfordwest surgeries depending on their location.

This decision sparked significant backlash from the local community. A drop-in session held at City Hall saw hundreds of St Davids residents lining up outside the doors to express their concerns directly to the health board. Protest banners sprang up around the city, highlighting the depth of public feeling against the closure.

Undeterred, the residents of St Davids have continued their efforts to save the surgery.

Last week, more than 150 people gathered at City Hall for a meeting to discuss possible next steps. Topics included appealing the health board’s decision and exploring the option of the community purchasing the surgery building.

Despite the strong local campaign, the health board has stated it will not reconsider its decision. In a letter to campaigners, it acknowledged the concern and disappointment caused but confirmed that a branch surgery will be set up in St Davids. This new branch will offer services from a multi-professional team for a minimum of 20 hours per week but will not include any sessions run by a physician associate, limiting support for doctors in patient care.

The health board plans to begin the patient transition process in the coming weeks. The management team is collaborating with staff at both St Davids Surgery and Solva Surgery to develop a new model of general practice. This model aims to meet the health board’s statutory requirement to provide appropriate services for St Davids residents by the end of October.

Hywel Dda Health Board has expressed its commitment to ongoing cooperation with the Peninsular Working Group. It has also pledged to review the general medical services (GMS) provision in six months to ensure it continues to meet patients’ needs. In addition, health board engagement events on the development of primary and community services strategy are scheduled throughout September.

Dr Neil Wooding, the newly appointed chairperson of Hywel Dda University Health Board, and acting CEO Prof Phil Kloer addressed the decision: “In making the decision to support the managed list dispersal of the current St Davids Surgery, members of the board were presented with all of the facts related to patient demographics, travel times, etc. This also included discussions with the current owners of the surgery building, Llais, and the local medical committee.”

“We will not revisit this decision but will continue to work with the community of St Davids to mitigate any negative impact of this development where possible,” they added.

While the health board remains firm in its decision, the residents of St Davids are determined to keep fighting for local healthcare services, hoping to minimise the impact of the surgery’s closure on their community.

Health

Better pregnancy or baby loss bereavement care for people in Wales

Published

2 days ago

September 18, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SANDS the UK’s leading pregnancy and baby loss charity, is supporting the National Strategic Clinical Network for Maternity and Neonatal Services to create tailored bereavement care pathways for those who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss in Wales.

The pathways aim to reduce inequalities and improve the quality of bereavement care provided to parents and families, and has been made possible by funding from the Welsh Government. The pathway materials will include guidance for healthcare professionals based on evidenced best-practice, and a set of standards relating to important aspects of bereavement care.

Good quality bereavement care is vital for parents who have experienced the loss of a pregnancy, or whose baby has died. It includes sensitive communication with parents, providing a bereavement room away from maternity or labour wards, and parents being given informed choices about decisions relating to their care and the care of their babies.
Clea Harmer, Sands’ Chief Executive, said: “Everyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby deserves high quality bereavement care and support.

“We know that no level of care can remove the grief that many parents will feel after pregnancy loss or the death of a baby, but good care can make this devastating experience feel more manageable. We also know that poor quality or insensitively delivered care can compound and exacerbate pain.

“This launch follows a huge amount of hard work and determination from our partner organisations, the generous support of many bereaved parents and families, and medical professionals who have shared their experiences.

“We hope that through supporting the National Strategic Clinical Network for Maternity and Neonatal Services, we can work together to make sure everyone affected by pregnancy or baby loss gets the care that they need.”

In developing the pathways for Wales, Sands carried out a series of listening events for parents and health professionals during 2024, to understand how bereavement care in Wales can be improved.

These insights will be incorporated into work with the National Strategic Clinical Network for Maternity and Neonatal Services to introduce pathways to address specific needs after miscarriage, Termination of Pregnancy for Foetal Anomaly (TOPFA), stillbirth, neonatal death or Sudden Unexpected Death in Infancy (SUDI).

Chief Midwifery Officer for Wales, Karen Jewell said: “We are delighted that we have been able to support this important initiative to develop and implement a National Bereavement Care Pathway for Pregnancy and Baby Loss.

“Pregnancy loss or the death of a baby is devastating, and this initiative will help to ensure that every family who suffer from this are appropriately and compassionately supported.

“Our significant investment into bereavement services will improve care and ensure consistency across Wales, the Bereavement Support Grant will continue to support organisations like Sands to extend and deepen bereavement support and fill the gaps that currently exist.”

Healthcare professionals are an important part of the Sands community, and the charity wants to support them to deliver good bereavement care. The pathways will introduce dedicated support for medical staff who care for bereaved families in Wales.

Cara Moore, Lead Midwife from the National Strategic Clinical Network for Maternity and Neonatal Services said: “We are thrilled to be leading the development and implementation of the development and implementation of bereavement care pathways in Wales in collaboration with Sands. The development of pathways will ensure consistent high quality and sensitive bereavement care is offered to all bereaved parents in Wales. This will be supported through training, interdisciplinary collaboration and continuous monitoring and promises a sustained improvement in the experiences of bereaved parents.

“We are also pleased that the implementation of the pathways align with and supports long term plans for the delivery of high quality maternity and neonatal care in Wales.”

Marc Harder, Head of Bereavement Care & Hospital Liaison at Sands, said: “Earlier this year, bereaved parents and families in Wales generously shared their stories of pregnancy and baby loss with us during a series of listening events. Key themes that arose included gaps in compassionate care, inappropriate and insensitive medical terminology, care outside of the hospital and inconsistency in bereavement care provision.

“We are delighted to be working in partnership with the National Strategic Clinical Network for Maternity and Neonatal Services to develop bereavement care pathways that will begin to address these concerns and lead to higher quality care at such a difficult time for parents and families. We will continue to work with parents, professionals and other stakeholders to ensure an evidence-based and community-led approach to the development of Wales-specific pathways.”

More information about the bereavement care pathways in Wales
The project in Wales is led by Sands in collaboration with a number of other charities and professional organisations, and funded by the Welsh Government. The project provides dedicated, evidence-based care pathways designed for all healthcare professionals and staff involved in the care of women, birthing people, partners and families at all stages of pregnancy and baby loss.

Five experiences of pregnancy or baby loss are included in the pathway project including miscarriage, TOPFA, stillbirth, neonatal death and SUDI.

Sands is here to support all bereaved families in Wales and across the UK. The charity provides support through its Freephone helpline, online community and resources, and through a network of regional support groups run by trained befrienders, all offering in-person peer support.
Find out more about all the ways the charity offers bereavement support.