National award nomination for nurse behind boosting vaccinations

A nurse who helped steer the Covid vaccination programme – including developing a mobile vaccination centre – in Swansea Bay is in the running for a top award.

Cath Watts, Head of Immunisation in Swansea Bay University Health Board, who has been nominated for a Royal College of Nursing in Wales Nurse of the Year 2024 award, has seen a dramatic change in the way the public are protected against preventable diseases.

Main pic: back row - James Ruggiero; Geraint Hammond; Georgina Assadi; Francesca Proietti Best; Elisabeth Harley. Front row – Llŷr Lloyd; Cath Watts; Eirlys Thomas; Dawn Williams

She said: “Prior to Covid there was just myself in post. We did have two other immunisation coordinators, who came across on a temporary basis to support, but if you look at where we were pre Covid compared to where we are now, we’ve now got a whole team in place.

“It’s a mixture of people – clinical and non-clinical - who were employed to support the Covid vaccination response. They now share the same passion for immunisations that I have got.”

The Covid immunisation programme, has been credited with preventing tens of thousands of hospitalisations and saving thousands of lives across the UK.

And although Cath modestly downplays her role in helping vaccinate the people of Swansea Bay, she has been shortlisted in the awards’ ‘Improving Individual and Population Health’ category. Winners are set to be announce on Thursday, 21st November, at a gala awards night in Cardiff.

The category aims to recognise ‘a nurse or midwife who has made an outstanding contribution to improving individual and/or population health, including the introduction of changes that lead to innovative health improvement or health protection interventions or programmes’.

In typical modest fashion she said: “I’m really pleased the immunisation work we do - not just here but across Wales - has been recognised. It’s not often you get recognised for immunisations.

“I am really surprised to be shortlisted but, I have to be honest, it’s not about me, it’s about the team. I couldn’t do it without them. They are great colleagues to work with. 

“It’s great to have people who think the same as me – wanting to improve vaccination rates. 

“We get challenges but everyone adapts to the challenges – from what we learnt for Covid.”

In particular Cath is proud of her work around developing a mobile vaccination centre in partnership with Neath Port Talbot Council – the immbulance, which featured on BBC’s The One Show.

She said: “The past few years have been challenging in terms of the Covid vaccine response, but just looking at what we have learnt, especially our work with the harder to reach communities, shows how far we have come.

“We’ve formed a home immunisations service for people who can’t attend clinics, for a number of different reasons, so we are now able to take the service out to them – including having a mobile vaccination centre on wheels.”

And although the Covid pandemic is behind us now, Cath insists vaccinations are here to stay.

She said: “Vaccinations have been around far longer than the Covid pandemic. We saw what happened with the drop off of MMR rates a few years ago, and saw a number of measles cases across the health board. 

“It’s about recognising the importance of vaccines for all ages. We have a new RSV vaccination programme and there are potential changes planned. It’s constantly evolving.

“It’s protecting communities. Protecting everyone from vaccine preventable diseases, especially those who are vulnerable.” 

Dawn Williams and Eirlys Thomas immunisation coordinators, both nominated Cath for the award.

Their statement said: “Prior to the pandemic, Cath Watts played a vital role in providing expert advice and support of all vaccination programmes across Swansea Bay, being the only immunisation co-ordinator in the health board at that time. 

“She was pivotal in implementing the mass vaccination programme during the pandemic, which protected the population of Swansea Bay. 

“Cath collaborated with workforce and the communications team to lead an inspiring social media campaign, encouraging retired registrants to apply and return to the workplace to support with the delivery of Covid vaccinations to protect our communities. 

“Her creativity made vaccine programmes accessible to all the eligible population. With partnership working alongside the local authority, she ensured vaccines were delivered in safe and equitable environments, to ensure nobody was left behind. 

“This led to Cath’s vision of setting up a mobile vaccine centre for hard to reach communities. She worked with external stakeholders to convert a mobile library into a mobile vaccination unit named the immbulance.

“She worked with the communications team to bring the immbulance to life via a social media and community partnership campaign. This secured a media interview with the BBC, where Cath’s passion for making vaccines accessible to all was aired nationally through an outstanding interview for the One Show.”

Jennifer Davies, interim Executive Director of Public Health in Swansea Bay, said she wasn’t surprised by the shortlisting.

She said: “Cath’s passion, commitment and professionalism comes through in everything she does. 

“She has had a pivotal role in the immunisation and vaccination agenda for some time in the health board and spearheaded new, innovative ways of working to protect the health of our population, from the early days of the Covid pandemic, to the present day. 

“She has built up a diverse and high performing team which she should be rightly proud of as well as her own significant contribution to what they have achieved to date. 

“I know that Cath shies away from the limelight but on this occasion, I am pleased to see, that the limelight has found her. Well done – truly deserved.”