NHS doctor vacancies are 7.8% in Wales

The number of vacancies for doctors in the Welsh NHS has risen sharply over the last year, figures obtained by the BBC have shown.

There were 493 vacancies for doctors in Welsh health boards on 1 December 2015, a rate of 7.8%.

Five health boards said they were trying to recruit doctors from abroad, while all seven said they were actively recruiting nurses from overseas.

Ministers said despite more staff there were "challenges" in some specialities.

The data was obtained by a Freedom of Information request for BBC News.

The figures for December 2014 do not include Hywel Dda but comparing vacancy numbers in the other six health boards there was a rise of 66% to 2015.

The snapshot figures for 1 December also showed there were 1,203 vacancies for nurses in the NHS in Wales, a rate of 5.6%.

This was below the average including England and Northern Ireland, which was 9% of the workforce.

The average vacancy rate for doctors in England, Wales and Northern Ireland was lower at 7%.

Cwm Taf University Health Board said 10% of its 698 nursing posts were unfilled, the highest proportion in Wales.

Both Betsi Cadwaladr and Hywel Dda health boards reported 14% of their doctor posts were vacant, compared to 3% in the Cardiff and Vale area.

The Abertawe Bro Morgannwg University health board saw the number of vacancies for doctors more than treble from in a year from 47 to 145, a rate of 11%.

Cardiff and Vale Health Board in December was looking to recruit three consultants in emergency medicine and Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board was looking for three consultant paediatricians.

Unions representing doctors and nurses have consistently warned of a "recruitment crisis" facing the NHS.

'Excellent place'

Dr Phil Banfield of the British Medical Association (BMA) in Wales told BBC Wales there was "terrible manpower planning" in the NHS.

"We've been raising the staff shortages issue for a number of years now. We've been highlighting some bad HR practices such as restricting advertising posts in the first place.

"If you delay advertising posts you don't pay the salary. You try to get away with shortages and get everyone else to cover.

"But then there becomes a need to staff the NHS with locums and we're also now seeing an increasing number of doctors choosing to be locums because they have a choice of when and where they work."

The Welsh government said there were more doctors and nurses working in the NHS than 10 years ago.

"Management information provided by health boards shows 94.5% of medical and dental posts are currently filled," a spokesperson said.

"However, the Welsh NHS does face recruitment challenges in some specialties in common with the rest of the UK.

"We will continue to do all we can to support recruitment initiatives proposed by health boards and trusts and to address recruitment and retention at a national level."

Vacancy rates in Scotland are published quarterly so comparable figures are not yet available.