Patient safety boost as medical associates to be regulated
Physician Associates (PAs) and Anaesthesia Associates (AAs) will soon be regulated by the General Medical Council (GMC), improving patient safety and supporting plans to expand medical associate roles in the NHS to relieve pressure on doctors and GPs.
The government will lay legislation this week to allow the GMC to begin the process of regulating medical associates, who are medically trained healthcare professionals who work alongside doctors to care for patients.
The GMC will set standards of practice, education and training, and operate fitness to practice procedures, ensuring that PAs and AAs have the same levels of regulatory oversight and accountability as doctors and other regulated healthcare professionals. The regulations will come into force at the end of 2024.
Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates are already making a great contribution to the NHS, supporting doctors to provide faster high quality care for patients.
This new legislation paves the way for these professionals to be held to the same strict standards as doctors, boosting patient safety.
Regulation and growth of these roles will support plans to reduce pressure on frontline services and improve access for patients.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Victoria Atkins, said:
"Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates are already making a great contribution to the NHS, supporting doctors to provide faster high quality care for patients.
This new legislation paves the way for these professionals to be held to the same strict standards as doctors, boosting patient safety.
This is part of our Long Term Workforce Plan to reform the NHS to ensure it has a workforce fit for the future."
Source: The Department of Health and Social Care and The Rt Hon Victoria Atkins MP, 11 December 2023