SCHEME EXTENDED FOR TWO YEARS

Neil Hamilton, MS for Mid & West Wales and Leader of UKIP Wales, has welcomed news of more funds to attract GP’s to his Region.

Neil Hamilton, a member of the Climate Change, Environment and Rural Affairs committee, was commenting after it was announced there would be an extension to a scheme to bring more doctors to Mid and West Wales. 

He said:

“I am delighted to hear about the extension of this initiative which will, I hope, attract more GP’s to Mid & West Wales over the next two years.

“Everybody knows that here in Wales, especially in rural areas, we have a shortage of GPs and recruitment is difficult for a variety of reasons.

“We urgently need to do everything we can to persuade and encourage more people to become GPs in rural Wales, where there is a clear and urgent demand.  We have to make it a more attractive proposition for young doctors.

“As the NHS continues to struggle it is more important than ever we ensure resources are there to help and encourage more doctors to fill vacancies in this area.”

Launched in 2016, the Academic Fellows scheme offers successful applicant GPs funding to carry teaching, research, and postgraduate study whilst working in Mid and West Wales.

So far, two fellows have completed the Mid and West Wales scheme at Swansea University and taken up partnership with GP practices in the local area.  A further two fellows are due to finish this year.

The Minister has now allocated £755,000 to extend the scheme for two more years until 2022/23.

Dr Chris Horn, who has completed the scheme, said: “As an Academic Fellow, I worked at two practices in the Hywel Dda area from January 2017 to January 2019. My working week of three days at Swansea University and two at the practice allowed me to keep well-practiced and up to date with my medicine whist still exploring the worlds of teaching and research.

“I accepted the offer of a partnership at Meddygfa Tywi, Nantgaredig, Carmarthen, before the end of my year with them. It is where I remain to this day and I hope, until the end of my career.

“Without this scheme it is unlikely I would ever have stumbled across this delightful rural area of West Wales.”

Practice Manager, Kim Davies, said Dr Horn’s acceptance as a partner was a major boost to the long term sustainability of this practice.

She said: “It can be difficult to recruit and attract new GPs to this part of Wales. But the Academic Fellows scheme gives people like Chris the chance to live and work here, and experience all this wonderful part of the world has to offer.

“I hope more practices in Mid and West Wales get to benefit from this scheme as we have.”