Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when he plans to bring forward legislation to regulate physician associates.

Both in training, and subsequently qualified practice, physician associates (PAs) must work with a dedicated medical supervisor which will be a consultant, general practitioner, or other senior medical personnel.

PAs undertake two years of postgraduate training which involves supervised practice with real patients in clinical attachments. The dedicated medical supervisor is responsible for the supervision and management of a student’s educational progress throughout the clinical placements of the course. However, any professional in a placement location who is competent to do so may train, supervise, and assess a PA student in a particular skill, procedure, or competence. This includes practising PAs, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

The Government is progressing the required legislation which will the enable the General Medical Council (GMC) to regulate the PA role. We plan to lay legislation before the House at the end of 2023, which will allow the GMC to commence regulation by the end of 2024. Regulation by the GMC will provide a standardised framework of governance and assurance for the clinical practice and professional conduct of PAs.