HEALTH chiefs must establish a medical school in Bangor according to a North Wales Assembly Member.
Arfon AM Alun Ffred Jones called on the Welsh Government to develop “fledgling” facilities in Bangor into a full medical school to tackle NHS staff shortages and “shortcomings” in junior doctors’ training revealed in a recent Wales Deanery report.
He said: “This situation demands urgent action from the Welsh Government to improve training opportunities in Wales through supporting and developing the emerging facilities in Bangor.
“This could give senior consultants the opportunity to teach part time and pass on the benefit of their experience to their junior colleagues for the benefit of all.”
The Welsh Government hopes the North Wales Clinical School, which incorporates academic staff from Bangor and Glyndwr universities, will improve recruitment of junior doctors across the region.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board said: “We continue to work closely with the Welsh Government, the Deaneries and universities to further develop medical education in North Wales.”
The spokesman added the BMedSci degree at Bangor University demonstrates this commitment.
However, a Department of Health spokesman said a medical school was a Welsh Government issue.
A Welsh Government spokesman said: ““We have established the Wales Medical and Dental Academic Board, chaired by Baroness Ilora Finlay of Llandaff, to look at the future of medical and dental education in Wales, to ensure collaboration to deliver world class education and training and a sustainable workforce for the NHS in Wales.”
A Bangor University spokesman added: “This week the first cohort studying for a degree in Medical Sciences started at Bangor University, and this course will provide a direct entry route into the graduate medical programme at the medical school in Cardiff. “