A PIONEERING doctors' project in Blaenau Gwent is helping inject much-needed young blood into an area with an ageing GP population and recruitment difficulties.

Set up four years ago, the Heads of the Valleys Project helped attract 12 GPs - four of whom have academic backgrounds and are part-employed by the University of Wales, Cardiff.

Difficulties with recruitment of GPs in an area with some of the highest rates of illness in the UK has meant that remaining doctors had patient lists far above recommended levels.

Replacements could not be found for retired doctors and the prospect was for fewer and fewer GPs, with the danger of patients in some areas not having access to a GP.

The project is run by Blaenau Gwent Local Health Board, which in addition to the four teaching doctors has recruited another eight GPs.

It provides services to 10,000 patients over four practices, in Abertillery, Brynmawr, Nantyglo and Llanhilleth, and has proved a hit with patients and doctors.

"Patients are getting a better quality of care, and we take in medical students on six-week placements, whom the patients love to see. We also get good feedback from the students," said Dr Mala Bradbury, who is based at Blaen-y-Cwm surgery, Brynmawr.

Dr Bradbury moved from London in answer to an advertisement for the project that captured her imagination.

"We get protected time for our own development as general practitioners, we have the chance to teach medical students, and we can mix with like-minded people who care about quality of care. It's a unique project," she said.

Fellow recruit Dr Jo Radleigh highlighted regular meetings of project GPs. "That is important, as it is very easy to be professionally isolated when you are a GP," she said.

LHB medical director Dr Chris Beech said: "The LHB is investing an extra £330,000 a year into this project to give people the healthcare they want."