Part of 1. Questions to the First Minister – in the Senedd at 2:03 pm on 2 July 2024.
Well, I'm not sure, entirely, of all of the numbers on European dentists who continue to work in NHS Wales. The positive news in dentistry, though, is that we still recognise the same qualifications. There are other parts of our health and care system where that is not the case and it makes recruitment much more difficult.
I regret the fact that some people did leave after 2016, and I recognise that one of the things we can do to actually encourage people to stay or to come to work in Wales is actually the way in which we talk about the rest of the world, the nature of our relationships. We can't say to people that we regret the fact that we have to talk with and work with their country and then expect people from those countries to come and work and to feel welcomed and included in our country and our society. So, the change in the tone of our conversations with the rest of the world really does matter, as well as, of course, the direct details on how people can come into the country to work in health and social care services, including dentistry. That goes alongside our plans to increase our ability to train people from Wales. And if you think about what we already have done and the statement last week from the health Secretary about the extra investment we're making in health and care professionals, the extra investment we'll make in the future of doctors here in Wales when we open a brand-new medical school in Bangor this autumn—all things that we are doing, all from budgets that Welsh Labour Members have voted for. And if we have a different UK-wide relationship, I believe we'll be in a much better position to recruit and retain people from around the world in a fair and ethical way, just as the Member suggests.