RCoA response to the consultation outcome on the regulation of medical associate professionals

The Department of Health and Social Care has today published its response to the consultation on ‘the regulation of medical associate professionals in the UK’.

The College is pleased that the consultation response confirms the government’s intention to introduce statutory regulation for physicians’ assistants (anaesthesia) (PA(A)s).

The response acknowledges the high level of clinical autonomy afforded to PA(A)s at critical points in a patient’s care pathway and that this makes the case for statutory regulation clear.

As the government undertakes further consideration as to the most appropriate regulator for the PA(A) role, we re-state our view that the General Medical Council (GMC), as the regulator of anaesthetic doctors who provide consultant supervision of PA(A)s in the clinical setting, would be best-placed to act as the regulator for this group. A majority (59%) of consultation respondents support GMC regulation, providing a clear indication of the views relevant stakeholders.

We look forward to continuing to work with government to encourage the introduction of more PA(A) training courses to provide a growing PA(A) workforce that can enhance the delivery of anaesthetic services throughout the perioperative period, as part of a multi-disciplinary surgical team.

We are pleased that the government will introduce statutory regulation for physician associates and PA(A)s and the College continues to support equivalent regulation for all medical associate professionals (MAPs), including Advanced Critical Care Practitioners and Surgical Care Practitioners.

Further information about the PA(A) role is available on the College’s website here and a short video about PA(A)s can be viewed here.

Our response to the government consultation of regulation of MAPs can be read here.