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.
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 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.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social 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.
Mentions:
1: Haughey, Clare (SNP - Rutherglen) The purpose of the instrument is to allow the statutory regulation of anaesthesia associates and physician - Speech Link
2: Gulhane, Sandesh (Con - Glasgow) However, I have a number of concerns about physician associates and anaesthetic associates. - Speech Link
3: Matheson, Michael (SNP - Falkirk West) and Physician Associates Order 2024 [draft] be approved. - Speech Link
4: Haughey, Clare (SNP - Rutherglen) and Physician Associates Order 2024 [draft] be approved. - Speech Link
Correspondence Jan. 09 2024
Committee: Health, Social Care and Sport CommitteeFound: Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order Letter from the Association of Anaesthetists to