Concerns over jobs for paramedic graduates in Wales
This is despite the Welsh Ambulance Service requesting 86 Paramedics to be trained and paid for through Welsh Government funding.
The figures were revealed by Senedd candidate for Swansea and Gower Sam Bennett and Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader and Senedd Member Jane Dodds, acting on reports from local residents and writing to the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, Jeremy Miles, for confirmation, which he has since done.
The Welsh Liberal Democrats are now calling on the Welsh Government to "urgently intervene" and create more posts so as to prevent the time and money spent training much-needed qualified Paramedics from being wasted.
Commenting on the figures, Jane Dodds MS said: 'With record response times across Wales, the Welsh Government have an opportunity here to get more trained Paramedics responding to incidents. We cannot afford to lose these highly skilled professionals, especially not at a time when the NHS is under this much pressure.
'It is shocking, despite funding 86 Paramedic Students to be trained, that less than half will be recruited. At a time when Paramedics are desperately needed to help improve Ambulance response times, that so few are to be hired is a scandal.
'The Welsh Government should now step in and ensure that these trained and qualified Paramedics are hired to relieve the strain on the Welsh Ambulance Service.'
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In response to the concerns raise, Carl Kneeshaw, the Welsh Ambulance Service's Director of People, said: 'As a result of changes to skill mix, changes in working patterns and the financial landscape within the NHS, we unfortunately initially found ourselves in the challenging position of not being able to offer Newly Qualified Paramedic roles to a number of recent graduates from Welsh universities.
'However, we have worked in collaboration with colleagues from Health Education and Improvement Wales and partner organisations across NHS Wales to find solutions, and we are really pleased to say that we will be able to offer roles in the near future to those graduates who were successful at interview.'
In their response, the Welsh Government added: "We are committed to ensuring our investment in NHS education and training is supported by meaningful employment opportunities.
'This includes exploring alternative employment within the NHS, including roles in emergency care, accident and emergency, and primary care settings, for the students affected.
'We are working closely with the Welsh Ambulance Services Trust, Health Education and Improvement Wales and universities to address these challenges and support graduates.'
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