Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she plans to take steps to regulate additional Medical Allied Professionals.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2017, the Government consulted on proposals to regulate four medical associate professions: physician associates (PAs), physicians’ assistant (anaesthesia), now called anaesthesia associates (AAs), surgical care practitioners and advanced critical care practitioners. On 7 February 2019, the Government published its response to the consultation, confirming its decision to introduce statutory regulation for PAs and AAs only.
The Government keeps the professions subject to statutory regulation under review and in 2022, published the consultation, Healthcare regulation: deciding when statutory regulation is appropriate, seeking views on the criteria used to decide when regulation is necessary, and whether there are any unregulated professions that should be brought into statutory regulation. The response to this consultation will be published in due course.
Asked by: Mark Hendrick (Labour (Co-op) - Preston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps her Department is taking to ensure that patients are aware when they are being treated by (a) an Anaesthesia Associate and (b) other healthcare practitioners without a medical degree.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidelines set out that all healthcare professionals directly involved in a patient's care should introduce themselves and explain to the patient: who is responsible for their clinical care and treatment; the roles and responsibilities of the different members of the healthcare team; and the communication about their care that takes place between members of the healthcare team.
In advance of their regulation by the General Medical Council (GMC) later this year, the GMC has published interim standards for anaesthesia associates (AAs), and also physician associates, which make it clear that professionals should always introduce their role to patients and set out their responsibilities in the team.
The Royal College of Anaesthetists, in collaboration with other stakeholders, has developed the guidance, Planning the introduction and training for Anaesthesia Associates, which details the processes and considerations required when introducing AAs into departments.
Report Jan. 19 2024
Committee: Statutory Instruments (Joint Committee)Found: New paragraph 7 (inserted by regulation 2(3)) defines three terms as premiums granted under specific
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps she has taken to engage with the medical and surgical colleges on the proposed regulation of anaesthesia associates and physician associates.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The regulation of anaesthesia associates (AAs) and physician associates (PAs) has been subject to extensive stakeholder engagement and public consultation over several years. Officials have corresponded with the Faculty of PAs at the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Anaesthetists, along with other royal colleges and professional organisations, throughout the development of the policy and the legislation which will bring the roles into regulation.
This engagement has been crucial in shaping our policy intent and the legislative drafting, to ensure that the resultant legislation is pragmatic and will benefit patient safety and registrants. We will monitor the impact of the legislation to ensure that it continues to best serve the interests of patients and the public, as well as the regulators and their registrants. We will actively seek feedback from the royal colleges and professional bodies.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if she will conduct a review of the competencies of (a) anaesthesia associates and (b) physician associates, in the context of the clarification of the different competencies of registered doctors.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Anaesthesia associates (AA) and physician associates (PA) play an important role in multidisciplinary teams and complement the work of doctors. On 13 December 2023, the Department laid draft legislation in both Houses and in the Scottish Parliament that, subject to parliamentary scrutiny, will empower the General Medical Council (GMC) to commence regulation for the two roles from December 2024.
Regulation will provide a standardised framework of governance and assurance for clinical practice and professional conduct, to enable these roles to make a greater contribution to patient care. NHS England has worked with royal colleges and the GMC to develop appropriate curricula, core capability and career frameworks, standards for continued professional development, assessment and appraisal and supervision guidance for the AA and PA roles.
NHS England continues to work with partners, including the GMC and medical royal colleges, to ensure that AAs and PAs can be effectively trained and integrated into teams across a range of specialties through the ongoing development of national standards, a defined scope of practice, and assessment of educational capacity.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has made an assessment of the potential merits of having a single regulator with different registers.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In 2021, the Government commissioned a review of the number of healthcare regulators, considering whether opportunities exist for simplifying the regulatory landscape. There are no current plans to reduce the number of healthcare professional regulators, but the government is committed to reforming the system of regulation for healthcare professionals in the United Kingdom, making it faster, more flexible and less adversarial for registrants.
A modernised regulatory framework is being introduced firstly for anaesthesia associates and physician associates. The Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order 2024, laid on 13 December 2023, allows for the statutory regulation of anaesthesia associates and physician associates by the General Medical Council under the new framework. The reformed regulatory framework will be rolled out to doctors, and to the professions regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council and the Health and Care Professions Council over the next couple of years.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, when she plans to bring forward legislative proposals to regulate the physician associate role.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
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 physician associates and anaesthesia associates.
Subject to parliamentary scrutiny, this legislation will instruct the GMC to commence regulation. The GMC will then have to consult on their own rules, policies and guidance and begin regulating these roles in or before December 2024.
Mentions:
1: None and physician associates. - Speech Link
2: None and physician associates. - Speech Link
3: Andrew Stephenson (Con - Pendle) and physician associates. - Speech Link
4: Rachael Maskell (LAB - York Central) and physician associates. - Speech Link
5: Margaret Greenwood (Lab - Wirral West) Regulation of the roles of physician associates and anaesthesia associates is long overdue. - Speech Link
6: Andrew Stephenson (Con - Pendle) Ahead of regulation by the GMC, the Faculty of Physician Associates has issued guidance for PAs, supervisors - Speech Link
Asked by: Preet Kaur Gill (Labour (Co-op) - Birmingham, Edgbaston)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what guidance her Department issues to GP surgeries on (a) the scope of practice and (b) supervision protocols for employed physician associates; and whether she has made an assessment of the quality of different working arrangements for physician associates in GP surgeries across England.
Answered by Andrea Leadsom - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department of Health and Social Care)
Physician associates (PA) and anaesthesia associates (AA) play an important role in multidisciplinary teams and complement the work of doctors. 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 for the two roles by the end of 2024.
Regulation will provide a standardised framework of governance and assurance for clinical practice and professional conduct, to enable these roles to make a greater contribution to patient care. Ahead of regulation, the GMC has published advice for PAs, AAs and doctors who supervise them.
The Faculty of Physician Associates (PFAs) and the Royal College of Anaesthetists have developed guidance setting out the processes and considerations required for employers and supervisors of PAs and AAs respectively. In addition, NHS England has produced patient-facing materials that have been shared widely with general practices (GPs) to support patient awareness and understanding of the PA role.
PAs work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence. The FPA provides professional support to PAs across the United Kingdom and review and set standards for the education and training of PAs.
The FPA will be able to give further information on scope of practice and supervision requirements.
NHS England has committed to a review of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS). This work will cover the performance of the scheme to date and inform the Government’s approach to any future support for additional clinical roles in general practice.
In addition, the Department has funded, via the National Institute of Health and Care Research a project to look at the impact of non-GP staff in practices on patient care.
Asked by: Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi (Labour - Slough)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent guidance her Department has issued to NHS Trusts on the scope of practice for physician associates; and whether she has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of amending this scope of practice.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Physician associates (PAs) work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence, aligned to an established curriculum, under the supervision of a designated senior doctor. Their detailed scope of practice in a given setting is circumscribed by that of the supervising doctor.
On 13 December 2023, the department laid draft legislation in both Houses and in the Scottish Parliament that, subject to parliamentary scrutiny, 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 and define the capabilities required of newly qualified PAs. PAs will also be required to follow the duties set out in in the GMC’s Good medical practice 2024, including practising only within their competence.
Ahead of regulation, the GMC and the Faculty of PAs at the Royal College of Physicians have issued guidance for PAs, supervisors, employers and organisations to help provide a structured and standardised way of using the PA role. NHS England is also working with National Health Service trusts and professional bodies to encourage them to set out how the PA scope of practice and role can further develop after initial qualification.