FIRST Minister Carwyn Jones has strongly refuted claims doctors do not want to work in Wales as they do not want their children educated in the country.

Conservative AM for South Wales West Altaf Hussain made the claim, which he said was leading to a shortage of doctors in Wales, during First Ministers Questions in the Senedd on Tuesday, January 26.

“One of the barriers to the recruitment of doctors is the state of the education system,” he said.

“Many recently qualified doctors in England refuse to come to Wales because they don’t want their children educated here.”

But his words were met with uproar and, after members had been told to be quiet, the First Minister strongly refuted the claim, saying: “I utterly reject the idea that the member has put forward.

“If the Conservative group puts forward the message of ‘don’t come to Wales’, where is their Welshness?”

Mr Jones also denied there were problems with recruitment of doctors in Wales and pointed out the junior doctor strike in England had not taken place in Wales.

“Doctors say this is a place they want to come and work,” he said.

“I reject the idea the Conservatives want to spread around that there is some problem with the Welsh education system when they are responsible with the mess in England.”