A 16 per cent increase in the number of GP training places filled, so far, compared to last year, has been welcomed by Health Secretary Vaughan Gething.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
The number of GP training places filled at the end of the first round of recruitment currently stands 84 per cent - compared to 68 per cent at this stage last year.
The new financial incentive scheme in targeted areas of Wales has made a positive start. Of those areas of Wales that were a part of the new financial incentive scheme, first round recruitment has already resulted in 100% fill rates in the Pembrokeshire, North Wales East and North Wales West GP training schemes. Following re-advert the Welsh Government is confident fill rates for Ceredigion and North Wales Central scheme will also improve.
Vaughan Gething said:
“We made a commitment in our Programme for Government to continue to invest in primary care and to take action to attract and train more GPs, nurses and other health professionals to Wales.
“To support this, in October we launched a major new campaign to promote Wales as an excellent place for doctors, including GPs, and their families, to train, work and live.
“The results from the Wales Deanery speak for themselves, the campaign has been a success and this is something to celebrate.
“But this is not the end of the process for this year. Places for 2017 are being re-advertised and when that process concludes in May I am confident that we will achieve an even higher fill rate.”
The Health Secretary added:
“Phase two of the campaign will target nurses in primary care, secondary care and the care home sector and will launch in May. Future phases of the campaign will target pharmacists and allied health professionals.
“The significant impact we have made in the first five months bodes well for the future. We continue to deliver on our programme for government commitment to ensure the people of Wales have the NHS they deserve.”