YNYS Môn AM Rhun ap Iorweth has reiterated the case for establishing a medical school in Bangor.

Mr ap Iorweth was speaking during a debate in the National Assembly for Wales on the health committee’s report into medical recruitment this week.

In a statement in July, the Health Secretary Vaughan Gething said: “The advice I have received does not support the case for the immediate creation of a medical school in North Wales.

“While I am not persuaded on the need for a new medical school, I do believe that there is a case for increased medical education to take place in North Wales.”

In the debate, health committee member Mr ap Iorweth said: “There are opportunities to innovate here, and recommendation five clearly calls for a medical education centre in Bangor.

“There are so many reasons for that: linguistically, geographically, economically even, in terms of increasing opportunities for students from north Wales to study in their own areas, and also in terms of developing expertise in providing rural healthcare and to do that bilingually. “

“You can imagine my disappointment when the Cabinet Secretary said in July that there was no case for having a medical school in Bangor, and that placing students in north Wales was the way forward.

“Here we have a well-evidenced call for the establishment of a new medical education centre in Bangor. Of course there’ll be barriers, but those barriers will never be overcome as long as this Government appears unwilling to push the boundaries of the possible.

“We have, in this report, a very worrying picture—let’s be honest—of where we are at with medical training and recruitment in Wales. But the committee doesn’t then conclude that those problems can’t be overcome. We put forward solutions—imperfect, no doubt—but see them as a challenge.

“When it comes to equipping our future NHS with enough doctors, when it comes to tackling the number of medical vacancies that we have all over Wales, and how to enthuse pupils, empower our young people to aspire to be doctors working in their communities right across Wales, and helping them to be able to study here, patients in Wales need to know that the job is in hand.

“We need to see that from the Welsh Government. We need to see it soon.”