After 18 months advocating for a pause in the roll-out of physician associates, DAUK representatives spoke to the media to welcome the review into PA roles in the NHS.
Dr Steve Taylor, GP spokesperson, called for an immediate pause in the use of physician associates in general practice.
He said the review was ‘overdue’. He added the use of PAs should be paused until the review was completed and their role was clearly defined.
Dr Taylor told i News: “There are concerns PAs are being put in positions they’re not trained for, concerns for patients, and concerns for doctors that are enlisted to supervise them.”
Media interviews
Other DAUK committee members also spoke in the media about the announcement of the physician associates review.
In the same article in i News, Dr Matt Kneale said: “It’s about patient safety and about the appropriate way of regulating and setting the scope for these roles.”
Dr Kneale welcomed the review in an interview with doctors.net.
“DAUK were early advocates for pausing these roles,” he said.
“For 18 months, we have worked with other medical organisations, the press, and politicians to bring accountability and awareness to a previously unregulated landscape.”
Physician associates
Our chair Helen Fernandes acknowledged the review ‘may be unsettling to many PAs’, their teams, and patients.
Speaking in Pulse Today, she added: “Which is why we want to see it conducted and concluded in a timely manner without affecting the quality and depth of the review.”
Ms Fernandes also spoke about the physician associates review on national radio.
Dr David Nicholl was also interviewed on LBC. Listen again in the video below.
Speaking to Shelagh Fogarty, he said: “I would urge everyone to pay attention to the review and to submit evidence.
“This has been a big mess, from patients’ point of view, physician associates’ point of view, and also doctors.”
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