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Offer new doctors 'golden hellos', says Plaid Cymru | Offer new doctors 'golden hellos', says Plaid Cymru |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Newly-qualified doctors should be offered "golden hellos" to entice them to work in general practice in Wales, Plaid Cymru has said. | Newly-qualified doctors should be offered "golden hellos" to entice them to work in general practice in Wales, Plaid Cymru has said. |
The party's health spokeswoman Elin Jones said new doctors could have student debts paid off in exchange for training and working in areas with GP shortages for a set period of time. | The party's health spokeswoman Elin Jones said new doctors could have student debts paid off in exchange for training and working in areas with GP shortages for a set period of time. |
There are currently around 400 vacancies for GPs across Wales. | There are currently around 400 vacancies for GPs across Wales. |
But Health Minister Mark Drakeford said he was "not attracted" to the idea. | But Health Minister Mark Drakeford said he was "not attracted" to the idea. |
Ms Jones told BBC Sunday Politics Wales: "We have a problem looming and in some areas it's existing already, and we need to make sure that we have a supply of new GPs into the system. | Ms Jones told BBC Sunday Politics Wales: "We have a problem looming and in some areas it's existing already, and we need to make sure that we have a supply of new GPs into the system. |
"To do that I think we have to consider financially incentivising GPs into training and into practices." | "To do that I think we have to consider financially incentivising GPs into training and into practices." |
'Temporary boost' | 'Temporary boost' |
Neil James, a family doctor in New Tredegar, near Caerphilly, said he knew of a "couple" of practices in the Gwent valleys that were short of GPs. | |
"They've had a few doctors leave and, with no-one to fill their shoes, they are having great difficulties as a practice to maintain a service," he said. | "They've had a few doctors leave and, with no-one to fill their shoes, they are having great difficulties as a practice to maintain a service," he said. |
"That's a problem that I fear that we may face increasingly, particularly in areas of deprivation." | "That's a problem that I fear that we may face increasingly, particularly in areas of deprivation." |
Dr Charlotte Jones, chair of the General Practitioners Committee in Wales, said her organisation had already offered the Welsh government a "range of solutions" including financial incentives for new doctors and "golden handcuffs" to retain GPs who were thinking of retiring. | Dr Charlotte Jones, chair of the General Practitioners Committee in Wales, said her organisation had already offered the Welsh government a "range of solutions" including financial incentives for new doctors and "golden handcuffs" to retain GPs who were thinking of retiring. |
But Mr Drakeford told the programme he was not keen on "golden hellos". | But Mr Drakeford told the programme he was not keen on "golden hellos". |
"We've seen it tried elsewhere - you can sometimes get a temporary boost of people coming across the border but they leave as soon as the incentive runs out," he said. | "We've seen it tried elsewhere - you can sometimes get a temporary boost of people coming across the border but they leave as soon as the incentive runs out," he said. |
On Friday, the man in charge of doctor training in Wales suggested changing the name of some of Wales' health boards might help solve a shortage of junior medics. | On Friday, the man in charge of doctor training in Wales suggested changing the name of some of Wales' health boards might help solve a shortage of junior medics. |
Sunday Politics Wales can be seen on BBC One Wales at 12:00 GMT on Sunday, 1 February. | Sunday Politics Wales can be seen on BBC One Wales at 12:00 GMT on Sunday, 1 February. |
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