DOCTORS at a Pwllheli surgery have accused Welsh Government ministers of being “out of touch” with the reality of healthcare in north Wales.

Staff at Pwllheli’s Treflan Surgery were shocked to hear that former health minister Mark Drakeford and first minister Carwyn Jones had recently played down the GP crisis in north Wales and suggested GPs were “crying wolf”.

In February, Treflan Surgery was forced to limit appointments to only acutely unwell patients because of a shortage of doctors and has since been calling for the Welsh Government to help address the on-going problem of GP shortages in the area.

In a letter from Treflan Surgery to Dwyfor Meirionnydd MP Liz Saville Roberts, Tracey Banks, practice manager, said: “It was disappointing to read comments from the former health minister Prof Mark Drakeford who was quoted as saying ‘the GP crisis is them crying wolf’.

“This follows the First Minister, Carwyn Jones, stating that there was no workforce crisis in general practice in north Wales.

“When challenged, Prof Drakeford responded by saying his comments were taken out of context, but of course by then the damage had been done.

See the full story in this week’s Arfon/Dwyfor edition of the Cambrian News