Health board launches dedicated vaccination clinics for those with mental health issues

Hywel Dda University Health Board is providing dedicated sessions at its mass vaccination centres to provide extra support for people who may find it difficult to attend due to mental health issues, anxiety, worries or fears.

These protected clinic times will provide a quiet space for experienced mental health nurse vaccinators to support people and provide reassurance for them to receive their vaccination.

These clinics will stock the Moderna vaccine which is the recommended vaccine for those on mental health medications. It is also the recommended vaccine for those receiving treatment for substance misuse.

Alison Evans, Clinical Lead Nurse for Hywel Dda Mass Vaccination Centres, said: “We want these clinics to be as flexible and accommodating as possible. This system has been working extremely effectively with learning disability nurse vaccinators providing a bespoke care plan for individuals and expert interventions. 

“By acknowledging that people are individuals and need individual interventions, we are reaching many groups who are finding the mass vaccination centres and prospect of an injection a scary and worrying decision.

“We are actively encouraging all community mental health services and third sector support hubs across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire to share this information and link in with their local mass vaccination centre to arrange supported appointments for those finding it difficult to attend. Or for those who just want more information they can call into one of our sessions with no need to contact anyone first.”

The dedicated sessions will run every Tuesday between 2pm and 7pm at the following centres:

• Aberystwyth (Thomas Parry Library, SY23 3FL)
• Carmarthen walk-in (Halliwell Conference Centre, UWTSD, SA31 3EP) 
• Haverfordwest (Pembrokeshire Archives, SA61 2PE)  
• Llanelli (Ffwrnes Theatre SA15 3YE) 
• Tenby (Tenby Leisure Centre, SA70 8EJ)