Boost for GP trainee numbers

  GP training posts in Northern Ireland are to be boosted by a third following sustained lobbying by the BMA. BMA Northern Ireland described the additional 20 places — bringing the total annual number to 85 — as a ‘positive step’ towards alleviating the pressures on general practice. The Northern Ireland Government has described the £1.2m per year boost as the ‘biggest investment in GP training in 10 years’. NI GPs committee chair Tom Black said that he hoped the announcement by the health minister today would be the first of other increases to GP training numbers. Dr Black said: ‘We are pleased to see an additional 20 training places for GPs in Northern Ireland and we would hope to see even more training places being funded over the coming years. ‘We have met with the minister on a number of occasions to outline the issues faced by GPs in Northern Ireland. 'It is good to see that he has listened to what we have had said and has taken action. We very much welcome this.’   Attracting staff Dr Black added that GPs were facing unprecedented pressures, which needed addressing. ‘We face difficulties with attracting GPs to work in rural areas, an ever-increasing workload both in the number of patients we see and the increasing complexity of the health problems we are dealing with,’ he said. ‘By increasing the number of training places we have taken a positive step towards alleviating these pre...
Source: BMA News - Category: UK Health Source Type: news