Marketing drive to sell Wales as great place to be a GP
A CAMPAIGN will be launched next month aimed at doctors and their families to market Wales as an attractive place to train, work and live.
In a statement in the Senedd chamber, Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport Vaughan Gething, AM, outlined how traditional models of general practice are “under pressure” as fewer doctors across the UK are choosing it as a career.
He said many entering the medical profession are choosing to work as salaried or locum GPs rather than as part of a practice.
He also highlighted the fact that many older GPs are on the verge of retiring, which is leading to more surgeries being handed back to their health boards.
In light of the current situation, which many opposition members have labelled a “cri- sis”, the Welsh Government will begin a marketing campaign from October 20, starting with the British Medical Journal (BMJ) careers fair in London on October 21 and 22.
He said: “Since the First Minister’s statement in May, we have developed plans for a major national and international recruitment campaign to market Wales and NHS Wales as an attractive place for doctors, including GPs and their families, to train, work and live.
“Organisations across Wales, including health boards and Trusts, will come together under the banner of NHS Wales to harness the best of local activity – such as the excellent Rhondda Docs website – and the Wales brand.
“The campaign will take a four-pronged approach: it will target medical students yet to choose a speciality, to improve GP training place fill rates; trainees coming to the end of their training, to encourage them to live and work in Wales; recently qualified GPs or those in the early stages of their career; and GPs nearing retirement or very recently retired to promote other available options to encourage them to stay or return to practice.”
He said the next phase of the marketing campaign will aim to address the challenges faced by nurses, therapists and pharmacists.
He said he would work with the Wales Deanery to develop a potential incentive scheme for a limited number of GP posts as part of a wider package
He added: “To support GPs – and their families – who want to work in Wales we are developing a ‘single point of contact’ as part of the oncefor-Wales remit of the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership. This will build on the single GP employer function currently provided by shared services.
“It will encourage and support those who respond to the campaign or express an interest in returning to work in the profession.
“A network of recruitment champions will be promoted as a contact for doctors who are considering relocating to Wales to discuss what working in Wales is like.”