Physician Associates
(asked on 11th January 2024) - View Source
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent steps her Department has taken to integrate physician associates into multidisciplinary teams in the NHS; and whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential impact of this process on (a) team dynamics and (b) the delivery of patient care.
Physician associates (PAs) are already a valued and integral part of the multi-disciplinary healthcare team. The NHS Long Term Workforce Plan commits to expanding the role further whilst upholding the highest levels of patient safety and welfare.
On 13 December 2023, the Department laid draft legislation in both Houses and in the Scottish Parliament that will empower the General Medical Council (GMC) to commence regulation of PAs by the end of 2024. Regulation will provide a standardised framework of governance and assurance for clinical practice and professional conduct which will enable PAs to make a greater contribution to clinical teams and patient care. Ahead of regulation, the GMC and the Faculty of PAs at the Royal College of Physicians have issued guidance for supervisors, employers and organisations to help provide a structured and standardised way of using the PA role.
Health Education England, now NHS England, has previously explored the value and potential of PAs as members of the multidisciplinary medical team through impact case studies, which are available at the following link:
There is ongoing work by NHS England to further integrate medical associate profession roles, which include PAs and also anaesthesia associates and surgical care practitioners.
NHS England will continue to seek feedback from employers, regulators, royal colleges and professional bodies regarding the PA role and will work to develop and implement any recommendations.