Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure that GPs are effectively trained and retained within the NHS in West Yorkshire.
Heath Education England co-ordinates the training of doctors to become general practitioners (GPs) in West Yorkshire, with training schemes based in Bradford, Leeds, Airedale, Calderdale and Kirklees and Dewsbury, Wakefield and Pontefract.
All training schemes are fully recruited and provide a high standard of education assured through the General Medical Council. From August 2021, the majority of trainees will spend 24 months rather than 18 months in GP placements during their training and there are an increasing number of innovative training posts that offer trainees diverse experience in specialities relevant to general practice. Following completion of training, NHS England and NHS Improvement are responsible for GP retention.
NHS England and NHS Improvement has advised that in West Yorkshire and Humber area, the local strategy for delivering the GP workforce ambitions and priorities is being led by the West Yorkshire and Humber Primary Care Workforce Steering Group. This group works collaboratively with place leads, professional committee, Health Education England and NHS England and NHS Improvement to deliver retention initiatives across primary care.