Review Suggests Physician Associates Should Have New Job Title

Physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) who assist doctors in GP surgeries and hospitals should be known as 'assistants' to avoid confusing patients, an independent review suggests. The review recommends PAs and AAs wear standardised clothing and badges to distinguish them from doctors and only see patients in limited circumstances. Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that the government would accept all the recommendations of the review, following a heated debate. The doctor's union, the BMA, expressed that the recommendations should have gone further, while the union representing PAs and AAs warned that the plans could lead to longer waiting lists.

Review author Prof Gillian Leng gathered evidence on the safety and effectiveness of the roles of PAs and AAs by consulting doctors, patients, and the public. The review highlighted the lack of a clear vision when PAs and AAs were introduced in 2000, leading to confusion about their roles' purpose and remit. Prof Leng emphasized the need for a national plan to integrate these new roles into existing teams to avoid gaps in medical posts being covered by PAs without adequate training or supervision.

Prof Leng also addressed safety concerns raised by families of patients who died after being treated by PAs, emphasizing the risks associated with making diagnoses and deciding initial treatments. The review recommended that physician associates should be renamed 'physician assistants' to better reflect their supportive role in medical teams, among other measures to enhance patient safety and clarity.

Accepting all the recommendations, Health Secretary Wes Streeting assured that patients could trust the qualifications of those treating them. He emphasized the importance of physician assistants assisting doctors without replacing them.

Physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) were introduced into the NHS in the early 2000s to alleviate doctors' workload. PAs are not authorized to prescribe medication but can perform various medical tasks. Anaesthesia associates (AAs) support surgery teams and are a smaller group. The NHS aims to increase the number of PAs and AAs to 12,000 by 2036. Both PAs and AAs undergo a two-year postgraduate course and must meet specific eligibility criteria.

The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges requested an independent review to clarify the roles and responsibilities of PAs and AAs amid concerns about their safety and impact on healthcare delivery. PAs and AAs have been regulated by the General Medical Council since December 2024, ensuring standards and patient safety in their practice.