Reliance on physician associates risks patient safety, doctors say

The use of non-medics in clinical roles is leading to deaths and missed diagnoses, senior doctors have warned.

Hundreds of doctors have signed an open letter to the leadership of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), urging them to take a stand over the rollout of physician associates (PAs).

PAs are a newer type of medical role that involves significantly less training than doctors receive. The NHS has used PAs since 2003 but concerns have emerged in recent months about them taking on more advanced work than is appropriate.

NHS England set out plans earlier this year to expand their numbers significantly amid ongoing staff shortages.

Now an open letter to the RCP’s council, to date signed by 46 fellows of the college and 194 other doctors, sets out concerns ranging from patient safety and liability to the fact that newly qualified PAs can earn more than newly qualified doctors.

They say: “There have been several high-profile incidents in which serious illness was missed by a PA when undertaking a role that would normally be filled by a doctor. In some cases, avoidable deaths have resulted.

“Given that some of these conditions required more advanced training than the PA had received, the implication is that rare avoidable deaths are a price society must pay for the replacement of medical staff with non-medical staff. We believe this trade-off must be debated widely not just by doctors but also by the lay public.”

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Source: The Times, 5 October 2023