The Guardian view on physician associates: the NHS must level with the public | Editorial
Wes Streeting’s review must lead to greater clarity if confidence is to be rebuilt
The plan for the NHS workforce in England created under the Conservatives is already under review. Given Labour’s pledge to rewire the system – emphasising prevention and care delivered in the community rather than in hospitals – the overall staffing mix is bound to be reconfigured when the 10-year plan is launched next year. But amid these wider changes, and ongoing difficulties around workforce shortages, a simmering row about the role of physician associates (PAs) has become too hot to ignore. Wes Streeting’s announcement this week of a review, to be led by Prof Gillian Leng, showed that ministers have accepted the view of doctors that there is a problem.
The physician associate (PA) role was copied from the US. Television viewers of a certain age may well have had their first encounter with one on screen: Jeanie Boulet was a main character in the Chicago-set hospital drama ER. Not long after this, in 2003, the first PAs were employed in the NHS – initially with the title physician assistant. But since 2014 they have been known as physician associates – alongside a much smaller number of anaesthetic associates.
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Wes Streeting’s review must lead to greater clarity if confidence is to be rebuilt
The plan for the NHS workforce in England created under the Conservatives is already under review. Given Labour’s pledge to rewire the system – emphasising prevention and care delivered in the community rather than in hospitals – the overall staffing mix is bound to be reconfigured when the 10-year plan is launched next year. But amid these wider changes, and ongoing difficulties around workforce shortages, a simmering row about the role of physician associates (PAs) has become too hot to ignore. Wes Streeting’s announcement this week of a review, to be led by Prof Gillian Leng, showed that ministers have accepted the view of doctors that there is a problem.
The physician associate (PA) role was copied from the US. Television viewers of a certain age may well have had their first encounter with one on screen: Jeanie Boulet was a main character in the Chicago-set hospital drama ER. Not long after this, in 2003, the first PAs were employed in the NHS – initially with the title physician assistant. But since 2014 they have been known as physician associates – alongside a much smaller number of anaesthetic associates.
Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
Continue reading...
By Editorial
The Guardian view on physician associates: the NHS must level with the public | Editorial to Continue reading...
NHS Forums - For NHS Staff | Patient Forums
