Hywel Dda University Health Board has congratulated all the winners of the health board’s uptake awards for the 2018/2019 influenza season.

All wards and departments within the Hywel Dda area that achieved over 65 per cent flu vaccine uptake for the 2018/19 season were added in to a draw to win one of four food hampers kindly donated by Castell Howell.

Across the health board 66 departments, with five or more staff, managed to achieve 65% uptake or above.

The four winning wards/departments were: Cysgod Y Cwm at Amman Valley hospital, Tregaron Wards and Out-patient departments, Hywel Dda Adult Speech and language therapy service and Withybush Hospital general surgery.

This year the overall uptake for the flu vaccine in health board staff reached 5537, which is more than any season previously.

Furthermore, five wards/departments reached 100 per cent uptake which is a huge achievement.

Head of Occupational Health, Vanessa Davies said “Hywel Dda doesn’t underestimate all the hard work that has gone on both behind the scenes and at the frontline to achieve this figure, and I thank every flu champion, members of the Occupational Health team and supporters of the flu vaccination programme this year for their part in achieving this milestone.

“I would also like to thank every member of staff who helped us protect our patients, colleagues, friends, family and communities by being vaccinated.”