RCP: New interim guidance for physician associates working in the medical specialties (16 December 2024)

Summary

The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has published new interim guidance on the scope, supervision and employment of physician associates (PAs) working in the medical specialties (also known as the physician specialties). 

Content

The interim guidance covers scope of practice for general internal medicine, supervision and employment of PAs, and how PAs should describe their role to patients, employers, other healthcare professionals and the public. It will be reviewed in collaboration with stakeholders, including RCP fellows and members, following the publication of the report of the Leng review.

In the guidance, the RCP is clear that:

• PAs must support – not replace – doctors, have a nationally defined ceiling of practice, and have a clearly defined role in the multidisciplinary team (MDT).
• PAs must never function as a senior decision maker, nor should they decide whether a patient is admitted or discharged from hospital.
• Resident doctors are not, and must not be expected or asked to be, responsible for the clinical supervision of PAs. PAs should only be supervised by consultants, specialist or associate specialist doctors.
• PAs cannot prescribe medications regardless of any prior healthcare background while working as a PA.
• PAs must clearly explain their role to patients, their families and carers, as well as colleagues and supervisors, and provide details of their educational and clinical supervision when required.