News
Covid-19 vaccine programme update Monday 20 December 2021
ANYONE who has received a scheduled appointment for their vaccination is strongly urged to do their best to keep it, whether offered in a Mass Vaccination Centre (MVC), a GP surgery, or local community pharmacy. That is the advice today from the local health board.
However, if you haven’t yet received an appointment, Hywel Dda University Health Board now invites anyone over the age of 35 years, plus those in a higher priority group, to drop-in to a Mass Vaccination Centre (MVC) for their vaccination.
This will help to meet the ambitious aim of offering all eligible adults a booster by 31 December and maximise the number of vaccinations available.
The health board’s focus has been ensuring people continue to be given an appointment in priority order based on age and vulnerability. We will do this in the following ways:
Selected GP practices and community pharmacies
We are working with GP practices, to bring on board any that are able to deliver more booster vaccines locally. This has to be carefully balanced against the practice’s ability to maintain the delivery of core services.
We also have a number of community pharmacies who have committed to participating in the programme and they will locally publicise the times of their clinics for booster delivery.
Please do not call your GP surgery or community pharmacy to ask about the COVID-19 vaccine. If your GP practice is participating in the booster programme they will contact you directly and offer you an appointment, please accept it if they do.
Additional support for housebound and care home residents
Housebound patients will be supported by local GP practices, where their staffing allows, whilst in other areas our community vaccination team will arrange to visit and offer vaccination. If you have already contacted the health board with your details you do not need to contact us again as we are working through the lists with our GP teams.
Care homes are being contacted urgently to ensure all residents are offered a booster and will be supported by GP practices and our community vaccination team. If the care home has already contacted us with these details they do not need to contact us again as we are working through these lists with our GP teams.
Increasing scheduled appointments
Scheduled appointments will continue to be issued at an increased pace. This may be by letter and/or a text message. We are aiming to contact everyone eligible for a booster by Friday 31 December with an offer. Due to the current time of year and challenges with appointments reaching people, we are offering drop-ins phased by age prioritisation.
We understand people have had difficulty in contacting us by phone or email to cancel or rearrange their appointment. In response, the health board has increased the number of call and email handlers. We will continue to support people to attend for a vaccination at a time and day which suits them but in order to ensure we are reaching everyone with their offer by the 31st December, re-arranged appointments will be made into the first few weeks of January.
We ask people to do everything possible to attend the appointment they are given, this will help the programme greatly, but we hope this extra resource will help should you need it.
Drop In Clinics
If you have been given a scheduled appointment, please keep it.
To ensure we can extend the offer of an invite out at pace and that no one is left behind, booster drop-in clinics are reinstated at six of our mass vaccination centres, strictly for the following groups (*see bottom of update for participating MVCs and opening times):
- Everyone aged 35 and over who received their second or third dose at least 13 weeks ago
- Anyone aged 16 and over who received their second or third dose at least 13 weeks ago who either a) works in a care home b) is a frontline health or social care worker c) is an unpaid carer d) lives with someone who is immunosuppressed or e) is considered at risk of COVID-19 infection (priority groups 4 and 6)
The groups eligible to drop-in for boosters will be expanded as soon as possible, please look out for announcements on the Hywel Dda UHB website, social media accounts or in local media. Your understanding is appreciated as we try to ensure our older and clinically vulnerable population are prioritised initially.
First doses will be available at all mass vaccination centres except Cwm Cou for drop-ins for:
- anyone aged 12 and over (over 16s only at drive-through at the Showground).
Second doses will be available at all mass vaccination centres except Cwm Cou for drop-ins for:
- Anyone aged 16 and over if it has been at least 8 weeks since their first dose.
- Those aged 12 to 15 are asked to wait for an appointment or drop-in if it has been more than 12 weeks since the first dose was received (over 16s only at drive-through at the Showground).
People who choose to drop-in are advised that booked appointments will be given priority and they should be prepared to potentially experience long waits, possibly outdoors, or be turned away if there are health and safety concerns at the centre. Verbal abuse or aggression towards any centre staff or volunteers will not be tolerated.
Those with booked appointments are asked to arrive no more than 10 minutes before their appointment time and make themselves known on arrival to a volunteer or member of staff.
Please do not attend if you are feeling unwell or if you have had a COVID-19 positive test in the last 28 days. Under 18s are currently advised to wait 12 weeks from a COVID-19 positive test before having any COVID-19 dose.
*Drop-in opening times for all first and second doses, and those in priority groups 1 to 9 for boosters
Most participating mass vaccination centres will make every effort to accommodate eligible drop-ins between 11am and 8pm. Tenby MVC will accept drop-ins between 10am and 6pm on the set days it is open. Drop-ins at the drive-through showground in Carmarthenshire will be between 11am and 8pm. Please note Cwm Cou MVC, is doing scheduled appointments only due to social distancing and traffic management safety issues. Please do not arrive early for drop-in sessions.
The MVCs open seven days a week for drop-ins for eligible groups are:
- Aberystwyth – Thomas Parry Library, Llanbadarn Campus, Aberystwyth University, SY23 3AS (closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January. Open until 4pm on Monday 27 December)
- Carmarthen (walk-in) – Y Gamfa Wen, University of Wales Trinity Saint David, SA31 3EP (closed 24, 25, 26 December, closing 31 December at 2.30pm and closed 1 January)
- Carmarthen (drive through – over 16s only) – United Counties Showground, SA33 5DR (closed 24, 25, 26, 27, 31 December and 1 January)
- Haverfordwest – Pembrokeshire Archives, Prendergast, SA61 2PE (closed 24, 25, 26 December and 1 January. Closes 2.30pm on 27, 30 and 31 December)
- Llanelli – Unit 2a, Dafen Industrial Estate, Heol Cropin, SA14 8QW (closes at 5pm on 18 December and at 4.30pm on Monday 27 and Thursday 30 December. Closed 24, 25, 26 and 31 December and 1 January)
Tenby MVC (Tenby Leisure Centre, Marsh Road, SA70 8EJ) will be open for drop-ins between 10am and 6pm on the following days in December:
- Friday 17 to Sunday 19 December; Tuesday 21 to Thursday 23 December; and on Tuesday 28 to Thursday 30 December.
- Closed on the weekends of 24 to 26 December and 31 December to 2 January.
Cwm Cou MVC (Ysgol Trewen, Cwm-Cou, SA38 9PE) is offering scheduled appointments only, due to social distancing and traffic management safety issues.
For people living in areas where they are not near a drop-in or if they can’t drop-in for health and mobility reasons, we ask them to contact Covid Enquiries by calling 0300 303 8322 or emailing covidenquiries.hdd@wales.nhs.uk.
Please visit https://hduhb.nhs.wales/covid19-vaccination to keep up-to-date with this ambitious acceleration of the COVID-19 booster campaign in Hywel Dda.
THE WALES AIR AMBULANCE charity shop in Tenby is calling for new volunteers to join its friendly and hardworking team ahead of a busy summer season.
Karen Ward, Assistant General Manager at the Upper Frog Street store, says volunteering has been one of the most rewarding decisions she’s made. Karen, 66, lives in Hundleton and makes the thirty-minute drive to Tenby five days a week.
“I haven’t looked back since joining the team two years ago,” she said. “Our shop is very popular – there’s always someone coming through the door!”
Originally from the Midlands, Karen previously worked in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter before moving to West Wales. She spent 22 years working at Kiln Park and returned to retail in 2023.
The grandmother of four added: “The shop is so much fun. We create a great atmosphere for our volunteers – we want everyone to enjoy being here. We love to celebrate birthdays with cake, silly hats, music and a good sing-song. We definitely go over the top!”
Karen says no two days are the same, and there’s always plenty to do. “There’s never a dull moment,” she said. “Some days you’re sorting through donations, other days you’re pricing stock or serving customers. Our manager, Kirsty Gardiner, and I do the back-of-house work, while our wonderful volunteers handle the shop floor.”
From tidying rails and cleaning to dressing windows and helping customers, there’s a job for everyone. “We want the shop to look great and be welcoming – it’s about creating a space people want to come back to,” said Karen.
The shop attracts a wide mix of customers. “We have regulars who visit every day and always find something to buy,” she said. “Holidaymakers pop in too – the kids head for the toys and books, mum browses the clothes, and dad makes a beeline for the furniture.”
The shop also plays an important social role. “Some of our older visitors come in just for a chat,” Karen added. “Sometimes we’re the only people they’ll talk to all day. That ten-minute conversation means the world.”
Window displays are a point of pride for the team. “People often poke their heads in and say, ‘Is this really a charity shop?’” Karen laughed. “Kirsty and I do the windows – we love getting creative with new themes. The volunteers always take the credit when people compliment the display, which is lovely – everyone feels proud.”
Upcoming displays include a colourful spring theme, followed by Easter decorations and then a ‘Glastonbury-style’ summer festival window.
The Wales Air Ambulance Charity relies on public donations of pre-loved items such as clothes, furniture, games, ornaments and music.
Karen said: “We’re a busy shop with a brilliant team, but we really do need more volunteers as we head into summer. There’s no age limit, and no experience is needed – we’ll train you. It’s a great way to gain confidence and new skills, and it looks fantastic on your CV.”
To find out more about volunteering, donating, or shopping at Wales Air Ambulance stores, visit: walesairambulance.com/shops
ANGLE RNLI were called out twice on Sunday (April 5) to separate incidents on the water — including a report of a jet skier in difficulty at Hobbs Point and an early morning rescue of a yacht fouled on a mooring in Dale.
The second call of the day came at 5:57pm, when the all-weather lifeboat was launched following several 999 calls reporting a person clinging to the jetty piles at Hobbs Point, Pembroke Dock.
The crew made best speed to the scene, but by the time they arrived, the individual had managed to get themselves out of trouble. A welfare check was carried out, and with no further assistance required, the lifeboat was stood down and returned to station.
Earlier that morning at 6:33am, the crew had launched to assist the crew of an 11-metre yacht in Dale, which had become fouled on a mooring buoy overnight. During their efforts to free the vessel, the yacht’s crew had also lost their dinghy.
The lifeboat reached the scene within ten minutes, and a crew member was transferred aboard the yacht to help resolve the situation. The yacht had been secured by the bow to another buoy, and after several attempts, the RNLI crew member successfully cut the yacht free.
To avoid further risk to the yacht’s crew, the lifeboat’s inflatable Y boat was launched to recover the lost dinghy. With the vessel freed and the dinghy recovered, the yacht crew carried out checks to ensure their steering and propeller were functioning correctly before continuing their journey.
The lifeboat was back at station and ready for further service by 8:00am.
WELSH GOVERNMENT FACES SCRUTINY OVER AGENCY SPENDING
A RECENT investigation has revealed that 16 out of 22 Welsh councils spent over £78 million on agency staff for supply teachers and teaching assistants during the 2023/24 academic year. The data, obtained through Freedom of Information requests by the Welsh Conservatives, highlights the growing reliance on temporary staff in schools across Wales.
The Welsh Conservatives have criticized the Labour-led Welsh Government for not tracking this expenditure and argue that funds would be better invested in recruiting and retaining permanent teaching staff. Shadow Education Secretary Natasha Asghar MS stated, “The staggering costs incurred by councils across Wales on agency staff makes it difficult to see any value for money from the taxpayers’ perspective.”
Challenges in recruitment and retention
An Estyn report from earlier this year underscores the challenges in teacher recruitment and retention, particularly in secondary schools and Welsh-medium education. The report notes a significant decline in the number of applicants for teaching positions, with some schools needing to advertise multiple times to fill vacancies. This shortage has led to situations where staff are teaching outside their areas of expertise, potentially impacting the quality of education.
Government initiatives and responses
In response to these challenges, the Welsh Government has implemented measures to support supply staff and address recruitment issues. A new national framework contract for agency staff was established in September 2023, aiming to enhance professional learning opportunities and employment safeguards for supply teachers .
Additionally, the government has initiated a pilot National Supply Pool in Ynys Môn, allowing supply teachers to be directly employed by local authorities, granting them access to the Teachers’ Pension Scheme. While this model shows promise, its broader implementation across Wales faces logistical challenges .
Union perspectives
Teaching unions have expressed concerns over the high expenditure on agency staff. A representative from a teaching union described the £78 million spent as a “shocking waste of money,” emphasizing the need for sustainable solutions to staffing shortages.
Local authority views
Local councils, responsible for staffing in schools, have defended the use of agency staff as a necessary measure to cover absences and maintain educational continuity. A Cardiff Council spokesperson noted that schools employ agency staff for various reasons, including covering short-term absences and meeting temporary demands during recruitment processes.
Conclusion
The significant expenditure on agency staff highlights the ongoing challenges in teacher recruitment and retention in Wales. While the Welsh Government has taken steps to address these issues, including new frameworks and pilot programs, the effectiveness of these measures remains to be seen. Stakeholders across the education sector continue to call for comprehensive strategies to ensure sustainable staffing and high-quality education for students.
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