Irish medical regulator says regulating physician associates is outside its remit

The Medical Council, the medical regulator for Ireland, has announced that it believes it is not the appropriate body to regulate physician associates (PAs)—in sharp contrast to the position in the UK where the General Medical Council takes on this role from 13 December.

The role of PA was introduced in Ireland in 2016 by the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland’s School of Medicine which offers the only masters in physician associate studies in the Republic of Ireland.

To date, 76 PAs have graduated from the two year programme with 60% working in public hospitals and 40% employed by the private sector. The GMC estimates that there are around 5000 PAs and 200 anaesthetic associates (AAs) in the UK.

PAs are not yet subject to statutory regulation in Ireland but there is a managed voluntary register, which lists all fully qualified PAs who successfully fit the criteria to practise as a PA in the Republic. The register is designed to provide public protection and safety and is managed by the Irish Society of Physician Associates.

In a position statement2 published on 3 December, the Medical Council said it was not the appropriate regulatory body for PAs.

“The Medical Practitioners Act 2007 has no provision to regulate health professionals other than doctors,” said the statement. “The Medical Council’s primary purpose is to protect the public by setting high standards of professional conduct, education, training, and competence among doctors.”

The council also said there was potential for emerging patient safety risks arising from confusion for patients, as observed recently in the UK.

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Source: The BMJ, 12 December 2024

Further reading on the hub:

Physician associates: What are the patient safety issues? An interview with Asif Qasim