Response to the announcement of an independent review of the PA and AA professions

Responding to the Government announcement of an independent review of Physician and Anaesthesia Associate Professions, Dr Claire Shannon, President of the Royal College of Anaesthetists, said: 

"We are pleased to see the Government taking action to address the questions our members have been raising for some time by commissioning an independent review of Physician and Anaesthesia Associate Professions.  

"As the professional body responsible for setting standards in anaesthetic care, we look forward to contributing to the review, drawing on the findings from our member survey on the role of AAs, the responses to our consultation on the draft 2024 AA Scope of Practice, the 20 years’ experience of AAs working within anaesthetic departments and the evidence review we commissioned from Cochrane Response.

"We hope the review will generate additional evidence that can help answer important questions about patient safety and transparency, cost effectiveness and the impact of medical associate roles on other members of the workforce. It is also vital for the review to clarify the intended role and remit of medical associate professions in the NHS in the future."