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ABUHB Health Protection Service Wins Prestigious 'Hero Award' at UKPHR Awards

The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s (ABUHB) Health Protection Service is set to be honoured with the Community Public Health Hero Award at the 2025 UK Public Health Register (UKPHR) Awards, recognising the team’s outstanding dedication to protecting and improving public health across Gwent.

The integrated Health Protection Service brings together the Gwent Public Health Team, Vaccination Service, and Health Protection Response Team, creating a seamless, collaborative approach to tackling infectious diseases, managing outbreaks, and reducing health inequalities. By combining clinical, operational and professional expertise, the service ensures a rapid and effective response to a wide range of public health challenges.

The team’s innovative work includes:

  • Increasing case finding for blood-borne viruses (BBVs) such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV through targeted community testing initiatives — screening 286 people in high-risk and underserved populations.
  • Providing rapid testing in care homes, with nearly 400 residents tested for respiratory illnesses in 2024–2025, helping ensure timely access to antiviral treatments.
  • Developing a new clinical pathway for post-exposure rabies vaccination, launched in January 2025, which has already supported 23 referrals and delivered 68 vaccinations.

 

Prof Tracy Daszkiewicz, Director of Public Health for Gwent said: “I am incredibly proud of our Health Protection Service for receiving this national recognition. This award is a testament to the team’s professionalism, dedication and innovation in protecting the health and wellbeing of our communities. Their collaborative approach across clinical and public health disciplines exemplifies the very best of integrated public health practice across Gwent.”

 

The UKPHR Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in public health practice across the UK, and this accolade reflects the dedication, teamwork and vision at the heart of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board’s Health Protection Service.