TOWN COUNCILLOR DISAPPOINTED WITH RESPONSE FROM HEALTH SECRETARY…
Sean Rees, Llanelli Town Councillor has expressed his disappointment at a letter received by Llanelli Town Council from Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing.
The letter was sent in response to concerns raised over GP shortages with the recent problems in Burry Port, Kidwelly, Trimsaran, Pontyates and in the Llanelli Town area.
“We recently reported how the Ty Elli Practice is currently experiencing a shortage of doctors which has resulted in the practice taking the step of closing its list for new patients for a period of 6 months. In addition, many of the doctors that remain are now working
on a part-time basis with some reducing sessions with a view to also retiring soon. The practice has 2 branches one at Vauxhall and one at
Machynys.
A motion proposed by Councillor Rees to Llanelli Town Council recently was passed. The wording of the motion read
“That Llanelli Town Council writes to Hywel Dda Local Health Board and to Vaughan Gething, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing expressing our concerns regarding the problems being experienced by local surgeries recruiting GPs. At last Wednesday’s (4th October) Llanelli Town Council meeting, members received a presentation from the Hywel Dda Local Health Board and a written response from Vaughan Gething, the Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing. Following the meeting, Councillor
Rees issued the following statement:
“WITH ALMOST 50% OF GPS IN WALES NOW APPROACHING RETIREMENT AGE, THIS IS A PROBLEM WHICH IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY. WORKFORCE PLANNING PRACTICES NEED TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY, IN MY VIEW, THERE HAS FOR FAR TOO LONG BEEN A RELIANCE ON THE OVERUSE OF LOCUMS TO COVER UP THE GP SHORTAGE PROBLEMS THAT WE
HAVE AND THERE HAVE BEEN MANY IN THIS CONSTITUENCY RECENTLY. “ALL LOCAL HEALTH BOARDS ARE REQUIRED TO PRODUCE RISK REGISTERS AND THIS IS DONE TO HIGHLIGHT THE MOST SIGNIFICANT RISKS TO THE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF A LOCAL HEALTH BOARD. CURRENTLY, EVERY HEALTH BOARD IN WALES HAS SHORTAGES OF STAFF HIGHLIGHTED AS A RED RISK TO THE SAFETY AND SUSTAINABILITY OF SERVICES. “I WELCOME THE PRESENTATION WE RECEIVED FROM THE HEALTH BOARD ON WHAT STEPS THEY ARE NOW TAKING TO INCREASE RECRUITMENT AND THE RETENTION OF STAFF. I THANK THEM FOR TAKING THE TIME TO COME AND ANSWER OUR QUESTIONS. “ALTHOUGH, I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE RESPONSE FROM THE CABINET SECRETARY FOR HEALTH & WELLBEING. NO INFORMATION WAS GIVEN AS TO THE CURRENT SITUATION AT THE TY ELLI PRACTICE AND THE ONLY REFERENCE TO LLANELLI
ACTUALLY BEING IN THE OPENING PARAGRAPH OF THE LETTER RECEIVED.
“THERE WAS A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE ‘WORK IN WALES’ CAMPAIGN BUT NO SPECIFIC DETAILS ON WHAT IS BEING DONE TO SPECIFICALLY MARKET LLANELLI AS A DESTINATION TO WORK AND LIVE IN AS OPPOSED TO CARDIFF. “THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN RAISED TIME AND TIME AGAIN. WE HAVE TO ASK WHEN THOSE WHO ARE IN A POSITION TO DO SO ARE GOING TO TAKE SOME RESPONSIBILITY. THE WELSH LABOUR GOVERNMENT IS NOT EXPLORING FURTHER THE OPTION OF FINANCIAL INCENTIVES BEING USED INCLUDING A BOND SCHEME TO PAY OFF STUDENT LOANS IN EXCHANGE FOR GUARANTEED SERVICE IN DIFFICULT TO RECRUIT AREAS, THIS HAS BEEN PROVED TO WORK. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS BEING THE VERY SUCCESSFUL MODEL USED IN NEW ZEALAND. WE ALL KNOW THAT BOTH CARDIFF AND SWANSEA MEDICAL SCHOOLS ARE OVERSUBSCRIBED, JUST RECENTLY SWANSEA RECEIVED OVER 1000 APPLICATIONS FOR 70 PLACES AVAILABLE WHILE CARDIFF HAD 3,500 APPLICATIONS FOR 309 PLACES. MORE NEEDS TO BE DONE NOW SO THAT WE CAN RETAIN OUR TALENT HERE. “OUR NHS STAFF ARE DOING THEIR BEST DESPITE THE PRESSURES THAT THEY FACE BUT THEY NEED SUPPORT. HEALTHCARE MUST BE PROVIDED IF, WHEN AND WHERE WE NEED IT. PATIENTS IN LLANELLI DESERVE NO LESS.”
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