The Welsh Government has announced its intention to increase Welsh GP training positions by a further 18%. This follows a significant increase in the fill rate for training posts, which this year has already seen 155 places already filled against the target of 136.g
The Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, has now asked Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) to review the number of places in Wales to ensure a skilled workforce is in place to meet the aims of A Healthier Wales to provide care closer to home and reduce pressure on hospitals.
The target fill rate for GP training places is set to increase from 136 to 160, starting this autumn. This figure will be kept under review with a view to increasing it further in the coming years.
Mr Gething said:
We have made excellent progress since launching our Train, Work, Live campaign in 2016 to attract GP trainees to Wales. In 2 of the last 3 years we have over-filled our target number of training places so now is good time to look at increasing the target.
I have asked HEIW to review our GP training places to ensure we have the skilled workforce we need to meet our long term ambitions for the NHS, set out in A Healthier Wales. I want to increase the number of places to 160 in time for the next round of recruitment in 2019 and I hope we can move towards an even higher target in the near future. I have also agreed where there are further opportunities to take on more GP trainees than the 160, HEIW can proceed if there is capacity to do so.
The Train, Work, Live GP trainee campaign includes 2 financial incentives schemes: a targeted scheme offering a £20,000 incentive to GP trainees taking up posts in specified areas with a trend of low fill rates, and a universal scheme offering a one off payment for all GP trainees to cover the cost of one sitting of their final examinations.
HEIW Medical Director Professor Push Mangat, said:
We are absolutely delighted the Welsh Government have agreed to fund our plan to increase GP training numbers in Wales. This will have a positive impact on local healthcare services and the health and wellbeing of residents. Wales has a lot to offer and we look forward to welcoming more doctors to train as GPs in Wales.
SHA Cymru has also welcomed the increase in line with its vision to see a significant increase in front line primary health care staff as outlined in its recent submission the Welsh Labour Policy Forum.