THE Argus yesterday revealed the crisis in recruiting family doctors in the Gwent Valleys - now so severe that one area has only five doctors under 50. Today HELEN MORGAN and ANDY RUTHERFORD reveal what is being done to solve the problems.

When it comes to recruiting doctors to the Gwent Valleys, health chiefs face two problems - getting them there, and keeping them.

We revealed yesterday that the GP shortage in the Valleys is fast becoming a crisis - in Blaenau Gwent, out of 37 practising doctors just five are aged under 50. Many are nearing retirement age, or should already have retired.

The picture is similar in the Caerphilly area, but what can be done to stop this ticking time bomb?

Many steps have already been taken by the Assembly. But doctors say more still needs to be done and the positive aspects of working in the Gwent Valleys needs to be revealed to those from outside the area.

Dr Chris Godwin, of Blaina, says there are two particular aspects that should be stressed. "The first is that there is a point to being here," he said. "There is a lot of real medicine that needs doing. People here need a decent doctor and good treatment, whereas in somewhere like leafy Surrey perhaps many people have medical insurance and GPs hardly see anyone who is really sick."

The region's other strength is its very real sense of community and family. "This is not an area where everyone is just an individual. And you get to know your patients better when it is not a shifting population."

He believes most GPs are in search of a satisfying job. "They find out that they can make a difference up here and they want to come back," he claimed.

Dr Godwin added that "wise administration" would also help attract and keep doctors.

Dr John Watkins, (pictured) of the University of Wales College of Medicine in Cardiff (UWCM), says positive action is needed to encourage doctors to the area. He is one of the driving forces behind the Heads of the Valleys Project, set up in Brynmawr and Gelligaer, which aims to take on medical students from the college.

The scheme, developed by Gwent Health Authority in partnership with UWCM, has received £1 million from the Assembly.

Assembly health minister Jane Hutt welcomed the progress it has made, on a recent visit "This project is an excellent example of partnership working in the NHS," she said. "The dedication of the health authority, together with UWCM, has resulted in a number of new GP posts in Brynmawr/Beaufort and Gelligaer/Gilfach.

"These are very caring communities, where there is a lot of family support. We need to get medical students here so they learn about those communities and get to know them while they are training."

Locum doctors covered the practices for some time and normal recruitment methods had not attracted GPs to work there.

Now there are plans to provide training opportunities for newly qualified GPs to work in the Valleys. The Assembly hopes they will be persuaded to make a longer-term commitment to working there - and the ticking of the time bomb could finally be halted.