Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, following the meeting of the NHS England's physician associate and anaesthesia associate prescribing working group on 3 July 2024, what action has been taken regarding the concern about the use of patient specific directives, particularly where a range of dosages and frequencies is given, when the drugs are to be administered under the oversight of anaesthetist associates.

The exploratory work undertaken by NHS England’s Physician Associate (PA) and Anaesthesia Associate (AA) prescribing group has been paused in light of the Leng Review.

Following the July 2024 working group meeting, NHS England engaged with NHS Employers, who published updated guidance on the role of PAs and AAs in the National Health Service. The guidance sets out that under locally determined governance arrangements, an AA may administer medicines under a patient specific direction (PSD).

Whilst any suitably trained and competent person may follow a PSD for administration, some organisations may extend or limit those who are authorised to administer medicines under a PSD within their local medicines policies and governance arrangements.

The employer is responsible for ensuring that the healthcare professionals it employs are properly trained, and undertake only those responsibilities specified in the agreed job descriptions.