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Health board name changes in Wales could recruit doctors | Health board name changes in Wales could recruit doctors |
(about 2 hours later) | |
Changing the names of some of Wales' health boards might help solve a shortage of junior doctors. | Changing the names of some of Wales' health boards might help solve a shortage of junior doctors. |
That is the view of the man in charge of training, with 400 places unfilled. | That is the view of the man in charge of training, with 400 places unfilled. |
Prof Derek Gallen believes a perception of Wales is a problem, with junior doctors knowing Cardiff but not sure where Hywel Dda or Betsi Cadwaladr is. | Prof Derek Gallen believes a perception of Wales is a problem, with junior doctors knowing Cardiff but not sure where Hywel Dda or Betsi Cadwaladr is. |
But, Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething disagreed, saying changing health boards' names was not the solution to attracting junior medics. | But, Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething disagreed, saying changing health boards' names was not the solution to attracting junior medics. |
Prof Gallen also says a shortage of junior paediatricians puts pressure on rotas and in turn hits the quality of their training. | |
As the postgraduate dean for the Wales Deanery, Prof Gallen oversees training for doctors across the country from when they qualify until they become fully fledged GPs or consultants. | |
He says geography and perception of Wales are issues he comes across, and recruiting to north and west Wales is a particular problem. | |
Prof Gallen also believes some junior doctors think they have to speak Welsh to work here. | Prof Gallen also believes some junior doctors think they have to speak Welsh to work here. |
"There's a perception they don't understand the geography, that they will have long commutes between trusts on their rotations and that they will have to speak Welsh," he said. | "There's a perception they don't understand the geography, that they will have long commutes between trusts on their rotations and that they will have to speak Welsh," he said. |
Prof Gallen believes students and junior doctors are struggling to easily identify areas of Wales outside Cardiff and the Vale due to the health board names. | Prof Gallen believes students and junior doctors are struggling to easily identify areas of Wales outside Cardiff and the Vale due to the health board names. |
"When you're applying for jobs you'd have to work quite hard to find out where that is in Wales, and what it's near, so that is certainly an issue. | "When you're applying for jobs you'd have to work quite hard to find out where that is in Wales, and what it's near, so that is certainly an issue. |
"In a collective sense it's difficult for people to know the whole of the Pembrokeshire coast is Hywel Dda. Most of middle class England holiday here but there's a perception they don't want to work and live here - and the work-life balance is fantastic. | "In a collective sense it's difficult for people to know the whole of the Pembrokeshire coast is Hywel Dda. Most of middle class England holiday here but there's a perception they don't want to work and live here - and the work-life balance is fantastic. |
'Best people' | 'Best people' |
"It would be good to try [changing the names] to see if would make a difference." | "It would be good to try [changing the names] to see if would make a difference." |
However Mr Gething disagreed, saying training was the key factor in attracting junior doctors. | However Mr Gething disagreed, saying training was the key factor in attracting junior doctors. |
"Junior doctors look at the quality of training opportunities as the biggest factor on whether they're going to go and train somewhere," he said. | "Junior doctors look at the quality of training opportunities as the biggest factor on whether they're going to go and train somewhere," he said. |
"That has to be the primary focus for the NHS in Wales." | "That has to be the primary focus for the NHS in Wales." |
After they qualify from medical school many junior doctors return home, or gravitate towards the big hospitals of London. | After they qualify from medical school many junior doctors return home, or gravitate towards the big hospitals of London. |
So to compete, Prof Gallen argues the NHS in Wales needs to prove it can provide better training than elsewhere. | So to compete, Prof Gallen argues the NHS in Wales needs to prove it can provide better training than elsewhere. |
There are worries of a vicious circle existing in some specialist areas - like paediatrics - with shortages of junior doctors meaning they are pressed hard on to rotas, leaving less time to study. | There are worries of a vicious circle existing in some specialist areas - like paediatrics - with shortages of junior doctors meaning they are pressed hard on to rotas, leaving less time to study. |
It has led to "unacceptably low" exam results in the specialism. | |
Three years ago, the imbalance in training and having to care for patients saw junior doctors withdrawn from places at one south Wales hospital - with medical wards forced to close. | |
Dr Phil Banfield, chair of the British Medical Association in Wales, said that situation could happen again. | |
He told BBC Wales that there are "discussions going on daily" on how to cover rotas as trainees are moved around hospitals. | |
"There's a potential collapse of service in as little as six weeks time," he warned. | |
Prof Gallen said the pressures facing junior doctors adds to the argument to centralise more specialisms. | |
He told BBC Wales that in order to compete with popular places like London, Wales needs to offer better experience for junior doctors. | He told BBC Wales that in order to compete with popular places like London, Wales needs to offer better experience for junior doctors. |
He argues that plans to centralise some specialist services at fewer large hospitals need to go further. | He argues that plans to centralise some specialist services at fewer large hospitals need to go further. |
There are currently 400 vacancies for the 2,900 places in Wales, with the problem worse beyond the M4 corridor. | There are currently 400 vacancies for the 2,900 places in Wales, with the problem worse beyond the M4 corridor. |
But quality is still more important than quantity. | But quality is still more important than quantity. |
"Filling the posts is secondary to filling them with the best people," said Prof Gallen. | "Filling the posts is secondary to filling them with the best people," said Prof Gallen. |
"I'd have fewer and better rather than filling all 2,900 posts." | "I'd have fewer and better rather than filling all 2,900 posts." |
The Welsh government said it invests more than £350m supporting more than 15,000 students studying a range of health-related programmes. | The Welsh government said it invests more than £350m supporting more than 15,000 students studying a range of health-related programmes. |
"We are committed to working with Welsh NHS organisations and others such as the Deanery to continue to recruit and retain staff," a spokesman added. | "We are committed to working with Welsh NHS organisations and others such as the Deanery to continue to recruit and retain staff," a spokesman added. |
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