Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government when the Commission on Human Medicines is expected to make recommendations about whether anaesthesia associates will be given prescribing rights.

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 regulate anaesthesia associates and physician associates.

Subject to parliamentary scrutiny, this legislation will instruct the GMC to commence regulation. The GMC will have 12 months to consult on their own rules, policies and guidance and begin regulating these roles.

Extending prescribing responsibilities to a profession involves a separate legislative process to the introduction of statutory professional regulation as amendments are needed to the Human Medicines Regulations.

The process to extend prescribing responsibilities to a role is jointly led by NHS England and the Department. This work is exploratory at this stage, in advance of regulation.