THE CHAIR of Hywel Dda Health Board has said that staff’s “hearts sank” when the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 was identified after almost two years of battling the virus, but that “green shoots” of recovery are starting to appear.

Maria Battle, who said the health board is now focussing on recovery, said that “our hearts sank when another new Covid-19 variant, Omicron, was identified earlier in the winter.”

“We all had to dig deep again within ourselves to step up to another challenge,” she said.

“It is extraordinary how already very tired NHS staff have done this again.”

Reflecting on the latest variant, and the reimposing of restrictions and cancelled appointments and operations as the threat level from Omicron increased, Ms Battle said that “we had to take action to protect health and care provision for the most critically ill.”

“This included prioritising outpatient and therapy appointments and clinics for the most urgent patients and temporarily moving urgent cancer surgery to Prince Philip Hospital,” she said.

“Covid-related staff absences, high infection rates and the measures we had to take continue to have an impact on the services we are able to provide.

“On behalf of the Health Board, I am deeply sorry if you have experienced delays and access to care and treatment.”

Ms Battles praised over-worked staff, saying that “over the past two years I have heard and seen the most inspiring and humbling acts of personal service and sacrifice.”

“Our staff are working tirelessly to deliver urgent and emergency care across primary, community and our hospital settings and in both physical and mental health care - going above and beyond every day in the face of unparalleled pressures and challenges,” she said.

“While we believe we may be starting to see the first green shoots of recovery, with coronavirus case rates starting to fall, our hospitals, primary care and community services are likely to remain in a difficult position for some time as we adjust to the changing nature of the pandemic and our workforce returns to normal capacity.

“Despite our current position, and the uncertain course of the pandemic, there is undeniably cause for optimism.

“This time last year we had not long received the vaccines and only 36,611 vaccines had been given in west Wales.

“At the start of this week [26 January], over 830,000 vaccines have been given to people in the Hywel Dda region.

“Achieving this was no small feat.

“As we have done for almost two years, we continue to work together to keep west Wales as safe as possible from this virus by planning for the worst while hoping for the best.”