After finding that yet another surgery is set to close its doors in Aberconwy, Janet Finch-Saunders AM is calling again on the Welsh Government to open a training centre in Bangor so that North Wales has a long term solution to its continuing recruitment crisis. This follows the announcement that the GP partners of Plas Menai and Llys Meddyg Practice have formally applied to Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) to close the branch surgery in Penamaenmawr, primarily due to continued difficulties with recruiting and illness cover.
Janet said:
“This announcement is a major blow to the community of Penmaenmawr, and when considering that it follows the closure of Llys Meddyg in Conwy, and the reduced number of GPs in Penrhyn Bay, is symbolic of the worsening recruitment crisis in North Wales.
“As a priority, I trust that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board will work with the patients affected so to address any uncertainty caused.
“However, the Welsh Government, which currently directly manages the health board, needs to implement a long term solution to this problem. It cannot be the case that 8,000 patients are just simply moved to the care of other surgeries, which are already under significant pressure.
“I now call again on Vaughan Gething AM, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Services, to reconsider requests for a medical school in Bangor so that we can train and retrain staff in North Wales”.
ENDS
Notes
Conwy GP surgery terminates NHS contract to care for 3,700 patients
More than 8,000 people will be served by just three GPs as another North Wales surgery closes