Good news for Cynon Valley as 91% of GP training places in Wales filled, says AM

Vikki Howells, Assembly Member for the Cynon Valley welcomes figures announced by Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething, showing that nine out of ten GP training places in Wales have so far been filled, following a highly successful campaign to promote Wales to doctors.

The Welsh Government and NHS Wales launched the “This is Wales: Train, Work, Live” campaign in October 2016, in order to promote Wales as an excellent place for doctors, including GPs, and their families, to train, work and live. In April, the Health Secretary announced the fill rate for GP training places at the end of round one was 84%, which compared to 68% at the same stage in 2016.  Following the round one re-advert, the fill rate has increased to 91% for 2017 (124 out of 136 posts filled). This compares to a 75% fill rate in 2016.  Trainees will begin their training in August 2017.

Round two, which aims to recruit GP trainees to take up post in February 2018, will open in August 2017.

Vikki Howells said:

“It’s important to be able to access GP and local health services when needed and having the right staff in the right places is vital, and this is something I hear loud and clear from constituents in the Cynon Valley.

“I’m pleased that the Labour Welsh Government’s ‘This is Wales: Train, Work, Live’ campaign has had such positive results in increasing the number of trainee GPs coming to Wales – with 91% of training places already filled.”

The Welsh Government are continuing to reform primary care services – with GPs working with pharmacists, nurses, therapists, and other professionals as part of a wider team to ensure people receive the right care, at the right time, by the right person, as locally as possible. People’s access to these services will increasingly improve as more GPs and other healthcare professionals fill roles across Wales.

Last month, the Welsh Government and NHS Wales launched the second phase of the This is vWales: Train, Work, Live campaign, targeted at nurses in primary care, secondary care and the care home sector. Future phases of the campaign will target pharmacists and allied health professionals.

ENDS