DAUK chair Helen Fernandes has welcomed the launch of an independent review of physician associate and anaesthesia associate roles.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the review would consider how these roles are deployed across the health system.
It will look at their safety, how they support wider health teams, and their place in providing patients with good quality and efficient care.
It will also look at how effectively these roles are deployed in the NHS, and offer recommendations on how new roles should work in the future.
Ms Fernandes said: “We welcome the review at such a critical moment. We also welcome the fact the new Health Secretary has commissioned it so soon after coming into post.
“This has always been a question of patient safety for DAUK. We were early advocates for pausing these roles, and their roll-out must be stopped while the review is conducted.
Unregulated
“For 18 months, we’ve worked with other medical organisations, the media, and politicians to bring accountability and awareness to a previously unregulated landscape.
“The review needs to address concerns that the scope of medical associates should be nationally standardised, led by the regulator and not delegated to NHS trusts that have consistently failed to engage medical associate professionals (MAPs) safely.
“We’re mindful there are many MAPs already in posts and respect the work they do.
“This process may be unsettling to many PAs and AAs, their teams, and the patients they’re seeing. Which is why we want to see it conducted and concluded in a timely manner without affecting the quality and depth of the review.
“On the point of regulation, we recognise that PAs and AAs need to be regulated. However, the GMC is not the right body for that.
Patient safety
“GMC regulation will only blur the lines between doctors and non-doctors, confuse the public, and compromise patient safety.”
Ms Fernandes said DAUK was ready to submit evidence to the review.
“We hope it will bring much-needed clarity and consistency,” she said. “And delivers meaningful safeguards for patient safety, transparency, and a clear national framework.”
Professor Gillian Leng CBE will independently lead the review.
She is an experienced leader in the UK health care system, has championed patient safety, and has a deep understanding of the British medical system.
Announcing the review, Mr Streeting said: “Many physician associates are providing great care and freeing up doctors to do the things only doctors can do.
“But there are legitimate concerns over transparency for patients, scope of practice, and the substituting of doctors. These concerns have been ignored for too long, leading to a toxic debate where physicians feel ignored and PAs feel demoralised.
Independent review
“This independent review, led by one of the UK’s most experienced healthcare leaders will establish the facts, take the heat out of the issue, and make sure that we get the right people, in the right place, doing the right thing.”
Professor Leng said: “To promote patient safety and strengthen the NHS workforce, it’s crucial we have a comprehensive review of the role of PAs and AAs. This will cover recruitment and training, scope of practice, supervision and professional regulation.
“As I conduct this review, I am looking forward to speaking to a broad range of stakeholders and to gathering evidence from the UK and abroad so that we can reach a shared understanding of these roles and their place in wider healthcare teams.”
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