How is the Welsh Government monitoring progress on the implementation of the nine recommendations of the fourth Assembly's Health and Social Care Committee's short inquiry into the GP workforce in Wales, all of which were accepted by the then-Minister for Health and Social Services?
The Welsh Government monitors the progress of the Committee’s recommendations in a number of ways, including interaction with stakeholders and partners, working with UK nations on the Shape of Training Steering Group; and via the Ministerial Taskforce, which I recently established to support the work on the new marketing campaign, by bringing together key partners and organisations and hold them to account for delivery.
I have provided an update below against each of the recommendations from the inquiry and you will see that many of these are being implemented or progressed through the new marketing campaign.
Recommendation 1 – This recommendation was accepted in principle and was implemented via the primary care workforce plan and HPEI review. Full consideration has been given to the possibility of increasing the number of GP training places but given that there are a number of places that remain unfilled, it remains the position that increasing the number at this point in time does not represent the best allocation of funding. However, this situation will be kept under review.
Recommendation 2 – This recommendation has already been implemented. A new process has been introduced this year to consider whether changes should be made to the number of specialty training posts for the 2017/18 intake. The outcome of this process is being discussed with NHS Chief Executives and I expect to receive advice in the coming weeks.
Recommendation 3 – This issue continues to be considered on a UK-wide level, against the backdrop of the Shape of Training agenda. The previous Minister wrote to the committee with the requested further information.
Recommendations 4 to 6 – These recommendations began their implementation through the primary care workforce plan and are now being further progressed under the recruitment and marketing campaign and the GP offer, which is due to launch in October. I will be making a statement in Plenary on the campaign on Tuesday 20 September.
Recommendation 7 – This matter is being taken forward through the “widening access” programme of work. During the summer recess, I also met the deans of both medical schools in Wales, and they identified the importance of reviewing the activities already in place to encourage Welsh students to aspire to a career in medicine - and to encourage them to consider starting their education for that career here in Wales. Promoting medical careers to those students already in Wales will be another facet of the marketing campaign, in addition to the other elements aiming to attract those from outside of Wales.
Recommendation 8 – Officials have been in discussions with NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP) to develop a career conversations service, not only for those nearing retirement but for those thinking of leaving Wales or general practice entirely. The work is in its early stages of development but will feature as part of the longer term offer to GPs under the recruitment campaign. There has already been some development for GP trainees in this area (also undertaken by NWSSP), in the form of entry and exit interviews, for those about to embark on their training and those nearing the end. This helps establish early expectations and the reality of their experiences of training in Wales as well as trying to explore the reasons behind those trainees who either stay in Wales or leave to work elsewhere.
Recommendation 9 – The GP retainer scheme will be another feature of the GP offer. However it is also linked to the work to implement recommendation 8, as it is only through those conversations can we build a picture and understand the grassroots reasons behind those GPs wishing to leave general practice or retiring early.