DAUK’s Dr David Nicholl has joined 27 eminent colleagues in writing to the new Health Select Committee chair to express concerns Parliament was ‘misadvised’ over legislation for the regulation of physician associates (PAs).
The doctors have written an open letter to Layla Moran MP following the findings of an independent inquiry which found serious governance failures at the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). The letter has also been sent to the Health Secretary Wes Streeting and to several members of the House of Lords.
The King’s Fund carried out the review into the RCP’s handling of an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) called to discuss PAs.
Its report found ‘a range of collective failures in leadership’, ‘a clear lack of accountability and due process’, and ‘a pervasive lack of trust and confidence in the College’s governance’.
Parliament ‘misadvised’
Now 28 eminent doctors, including Dr Nicholl, have written to Ms Moran ‘to express our considered view that Parliament was misadvised when the Royal College of Physicians of London was cited as approving of the Anaesthesia Associates and Physicians Associates Order earlier this year’.
Their letter continues: “We, the undersigned, were in the process of highlighting our concerns about the implications of the order to the college leadership on patient safety prior to the debate on the order.
“Our attempts to do this through an EGM were delayed inappropriately. A recent Kings Fund report into the college identified a ‘collective failure in leadership’ in the college’s approach to these occupations, with the Kings Fund noting that ‘had the EGM been held before that point’ (i.e. of the statutory instrument being debated), ‘the concerns raised would have been fed into the parliamentary process and may have affected the passage of the legislation’.
“When the EGM was finally held, an overwhelming majority of Fellows of the Royal College of Physicians of London rejected the college’s previous approach to physician associates, and the college is now working on ways to ensure that the care provided by this group of healthcare workers is safe for patients.
Concerns
“Our concerns are mirrored by other professional bodies and patient groups.
“We would welcome the opportunity to set out our concerns to members of your committee, either in writing or in person, and look forward to hearing from you in due course.”
Responding to a post about the letter on X, formerly known as Twitter, Ms Moran said: “The Commons Health and Social Care Select Committee doesn’t constitute until we have members, which won’t be for at least another month – and then we need to get up to speed.
“But once we do, we will start working on our programme of works. So please have patience with us.”
Read the letter to Ms Moran in full.
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