The Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy – Janet Finch-Sanders MS – has today (24 March) urged the Welsh Government to improve awareness of opportunities in North Wales, as part of her push for the funding of a permanent North Wales Medical School.
In a Written Statement last week, the Welsh Minister for Health confirmed that a total of 18 students in the 2020/21 intake, a fall on the 19 students who began their studies on the C21 Programme in the 2019/20 intake. Mrs Finch-Saunders argues that a North Wales Medical School would be a central step to address the local patient backlog.
Commenting after her questions to the Minister, Janet said:
“Fast tracking the development of a North Wales medical school should play a major role in addressing the spiralling waiting list crisis across the region. And I am not alone in this belief, with even the Royal College of Physicians Wales long supporting the expansion of a medical school.
“As RCPW told me this week, there are ongoing major trainee rota gaps in every one of our hospitals, and this cannot continue as it has a direct impact on the quality of patient care. This is why we should find a drop in local student numbers so concerning.
“Students report an excellent educational experience on the scheme, and so undertaking a wider awareness campaign would make it easier to recruit and be a vital first step to expanding the North Wales medical offer. With all such programmes, reputation and awareness needs to be built.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
- The C21 North Wales programme has been running for two years and has a total commission number of twenty students per year.
- Since May 2016, the number of patient pathways waiting over 36 weeks to start treatment has increased from 4,078 to 50,143.
Photo: National Cancer Institute/UnSplash
