Written question WQ93283
- Asked by
- Russell GeorgeConservative
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 8 days
Question
What plans does the Cabinet Secretary have to ensure the 34 per cent shortfall of consultant radiologists in Wales is addressed, and does not impact patient safety or the quality of care?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care
Retaining staff is equally as important as recruiting new staff. Our National Workforce Implementation Plan sets out actions to improve retention, including improving staff wellbeing, and continued investment in education and training. The Welsh Government has and will continue to invest in the workforce required to support our health system in Wales with £283.126 million to be invested in 2024-25. This will support education and training programmes for healthcare professionals in Wales.
The number of doctors, including consultants, directly employed by NHS Wales organisations has increased every year for the last nine years, and we now have record high number of doctors.