Consultation - Regulating anaesthesia associates and physician associates (DHSC, 17 February 2023)

Summary

The Department of Health & Social Care (DHSC) is seeking views on the legislation that will enable the General Medical Council (GMC) to regulate anaesthesia associates (AAs) and physician associates (PAs) in the UK.

DHSC has drafted legislative provisions on the basis of the detailed policy proposals set out in the government’s response to the 'Regulating healthcare professionals, protecting the public' consultation.

As well as bringing AAs and PAs into regulation, this consultation also paves the way for full scale reform of the regulatory frameworks of all the healthcare professional regulators. This is a rare and significant opportunity to deliver a large-scale programme of reform that will implement improvements to the system of professional regulation, to the health and care workforce and, most importantly, to patient and public safety.

The consultation closes at 11.45pm on 16 May 2023.