Vaccine DNA rate falls – but still above average

Louise Platt, Head of Operations for the Covid-19 Vaccination Programme in Swansea Bay University Health Board, said:

“We continue to urge everyone to attend their vaccination appointment if they can do so. If not, please telephone or email us to rearrange or cancel at the earliest opportunity.

Today, Tuesday 30th March our DNA (did not attend) rate has fallen. We’re not sure why there was a spike yesterday but it had been increasing over the past few days.

Today the DNA rate across our three Mass Vaccination Centres at the Bay Field Hospital, The Orangery at Margam and Canolfan Gorseinon has fallen to 16.5%, which is still higher than our usual daily average of 6% but going in the right direction.

We’d like to reassure you that we do everything possible to alert people to their appointments. Those invited to Mass Vaccination Centres receive a letter followed by a text reminder 24 hours before their appointment.

The letter, our social media channels and website all carry details of the booking centre phone numbers and email address to contact if you need to rearrange or cancel.

They are:

• 01792 200492 or 01639 862323 between 9am and 5pm Monday to Saturday
• Email: sbu.covidbookingteam@wales.nhs.uk

Although call volumes to the booking centre can be high at certain times, the average wait for an answer is five minutes. We are taking on additional call handlers to ensure we are as responsive as possible.

It should be noted that a large number of DNAs present the team with additional logistical and operational pressures however, we would like to offer assurance to our community that we do not throw vaccines away.

The booking centre manage a ‘reserve list’ system where the public who are within the next priority group and are next in line for the vaccine are contacted and asked to attend at short notice. The public cannot actively join this reserve list and we request that you do not ring the booking team in anticipation of receiving the vaccine unless you have received an invitation letter/text. Additionally, we also organise additional clinic sessions following situations like this to ensure that all the vaccine we have is administered

Both of these processes work well.

Finally, we’d like to remind people to update their contact details with their GP surgery as soon as possible if they move house, as we draw our contact details from their database.”