Cluster initiative helps vaccinate hundreds of vulnerable patients

Hundreds of vulnerable patients have received their flu vaccination at home thanks to cluster staff.

Housebound patients living in the south-east and central areas of Swansea were vaccinated by staff from the City Health Local Cluster Collaborative (LCC).

Each cluster is made up of GP practices, dentists, opticians, community pharmacists, allied health professionals and health sciences, community nursing, medicines management, mental health services and the voluntary sector.

Together they work with the health board and other partners to enhance the health and well-being of their local population.

A total of 402 housebound patients were vaccinated after both cluster lead, Rhys Jenkins, and the cluster’s community paramedic, Keith Richards, administered them over a nine-day period.

Pictured: Keith Richards and Rhys Jenkins.

Keith’s role sees him travel to patients’ homes to assess them as a way of helping GPs who are seeing patients in their surgeries.

Rhys, who is also the LCC’s pharmacist, said: “We have eight GP surgeries which all have a different amount of housebound patients.

“Keith led on the project and organised logistics with the surgeries, creating lists of patients and efficient routes for us to take.

“The patients were then told which day we would be visiting them.

“They are very grateful that we come out to vaccinate them as even though they are housebound they can be conscious of visitors such as grandchildren potentially exposing them to the virus.

“Overall, it went really well and was a good example of multidisciplinary teamwork in collaboration with the cluster’s GP surgeries.”

The flu campaign is well underway in Swansea Bay, with those eligible able to receive their vaccination from their GP surgery or a community pharmacy service.

Rhys explained the importance of having the vaccination.

“Having the annual vaccination reduces the risk of hospitalisation and more serious complications,” he said.

“Having the flu vaccine not only protects the person having the vaccination, but those around them also.

“Generally, patients who are housebound are more vulnerable to the effects of flu due to a combination of age and often multiple chronic conditions.

“Please enquire with your GP surgery about your eligibility for a flu vaccination.”

If you’re unsure whether you are eligible for the flu vaccination, follow this link to find more information on the Covid and flu vaccinations page on our website.