8. Will the First Minister make a statement on plans to attract and retain GPs in North Wales? OAQ51264

The Welsh Government is committed to increasing the number of doctors working in general practice in all areas of Wales, including north Wales.

We know that the situation as it currently exists has been raised consistently with you in this Chamber, and I know of up to seven practices in the Wrexham area alone that are at threat of closure, and many others in other parts of the region are in the same position.

Now, one of the practical difficulties causing problems is the situation in terms of the cost of indemnity insurance for doctors—there’s a cost of over £10,000, possibly. Now, clearly, I wouldn’t expect them not to have that cover, but it can be a very practical problem, for example, in trying to attract retired doctors back to assist in certain areas. The British Medical Association has raised this regularly and we as Assembly Members, I know, have received clear messages to that end. Can I ask you, therefore, what the Government intends to do to try and tackle that practical problem?

This is a very important point. I would imagine that there has been an increase in the cost of indemnity insurance. Therefore, may I write to the Member to give him the details that I can give to him as regards discussions with the BMA on this?

Many of my own constituents have faced receiving letters through the post regarding their own local surgeries, particularly in the Colwyn Bay area, being vulnerable to changes. Indeed, some of the GPs have handed back their contracts to the local health board. Now, I know that the Welsh Government is working with health boards to try to overcome some of these challenges in the shorter term, but do you accept that one of the reasons we're facing a shortage of GPs is because of successive Welsh Governments having failed to train sufficient numbers in the past? And are you now confident that you have the systems in place to be able to attract the number of GPs that Wales will need, going forward?

Yes, I am. The Cabinet Secretary will be making a statement shortly to Members on the definitive numbers recruited to the GP training scheme, but I understand this will show positive further recruitment, better than the initial fill rate of 91 per cent, which I think has been reported previously in this Chamber, and that will represent significant improvement in our Welsh GP training numbers.