What action will the Welsh Government take throughout the remainder of this year to bolster GP numbers in Wales?
The GP speciality training programme has been significantly expanded over the past three years, supported by the Train Work Live marketing campaign and associated financial incentives scheme. The current recruitment target of 160 new GP trainees each year is consistently being achieved. A total of 175 new GP trainees were recruited in 2022.
The additional funding agreed in the Education and Commissioning Plan for 2023/24 includes an extra £1.68m (4.8% increase) to support core GP training numbers.
Retaining staff is equally as important as recruiting new staff. Our National Workforce Implementation Plan sets out actions to improve retention, including improving staff wellbeing, and continued investment in education and training.