Part of 2. 2. Questions to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-being and Sport – in the Senedd at 2:30 pm on 5 October 2016.
Well, it is a fact, not an opinion, that consultant numbers have risen significantly over the last decade. Our challenge always is: in what numbers do we still face a challenge and what can we ourselves do about that? Because, in answer to the first question, which I think was from Paul Davies, we recognise there are some specialties where there are real challenges right across the UK family. And, actually, some of that is international challenge as well. So, we do take the view about the overall numbers, but then look at those areas of specialism. And that’s why, in the recruitment campaign you’ll have heard us discuss and talk about, we want to advertise Wales as a great place to work as well to live, and for people to undertake their training here too.
So, there’s no complacency or any lack of acknowledgement that, in some specialities, we have very real challenges, and getting the model of healthcare right is part of what we need to do to encourage people to come and work here. Because, when people are looking for the next stage in their career—where to live, where to raise a family—they’re actually also thinking about, ‘What will be the quality of the workplace, what will be the model of care I’m going into? Is it sustainable? Will it provide me with the opportunities that I want to undertake great patient care?’, but also other parts of their life too. So, it’s that whole picture we’re looking at, as we do move forward to try and understand how do we recruit the medical workforce of today and the future that we want, and the future of healthcare here in Wales.