The Role of the Physician Associate
Physician Associates support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients. The day-to-day tasks Physician Associates are likely to include taking medical histories from patients, performing physical examinations and diagnosing illnesses. They will also include performing diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, analysing test results and providing health promotion and disease prevention advice for patients. Further information is available on the GM Primary Care Careers Platform – https://gmprimarycarecareers.org.uk/generalpractice/careers/physician-associate/
Case Study
Please see below Case Studies of Physician Associates that are available to view:
PA in Primary Care Case Study Sue Lowe
PA in Primary Care Case Study Paul Kenton
PA in Primary Care Case Study Neil Sunclair
PA in Primary Care Case Study Steevie Pugh
Where can a practice or PCN get more information about employing PAs?
By visiting the Faculty of Physician Associates www.fparcp.co.uk/employers/pas-in-general-practice. Alternatively visit the North West Physician Associate Forum https://www.northpaforum.co.uk/ where you will be able to contact a PA Ambassador who work with employers to develop preceptorship roles to support newly qualified PAs.
Framework Capabilities
Physician Associates (PAs) play an important role within multidisciplinary teams and are identified as an important role expansion in the Long Term Workforce Plan. PAs are being written into legislation to be brought into regulation by the General Medical Council. The timeline for regulation is currently Autumn 2024.
The Core Capabilities Framework for Medical Associate Professions sets a standard and offers the opportunity for PAs to develop and evidence their knowledge and skills. enabling the highest standards of practice as well as providing a structure for career and role development across a variety of settings. This framework sets out clear expectations about supervision at the different tiers of practice.
This is a useful tool for employers across primary care networks as it can be used to demonstrate that the PAs in their workforce meet the defined core capabilities required for the role and enable patient safety. It is also useful as a communication tool to support better patient and stakeholder understanding of the role of a PA in a multiprofessional healthcare team.
A 3- minute video explaining the Core Capabilities Framework can be found here.
The framework should be used in conjunction with other guidance and frameworks, not limited to:
- General Medical Council (GMC) Good Medical Practice interim standards
- Advice for doctors who supervise physician associates and anaesthesia associates = GMC (gmc-uk.org)
An accompanying Career Development Framework (CDF) for the Medical Associate Professions (MAPs) is currently in development by national stakeholders. The purpose of the career development framework is to demonstrate to employers how MAP careers can progress, whilst enabling flexibility to develop career pathways at a local level ensuring professional identities can be developed and maintained. It is expected that the career development framework will support a reduction in differential career experiences and opportunities for MAPs, by ensuring a greater awareness and understanding of these roles for patients and the wider NHS, maximising their contribution in high quality safe services and ensuring sustainable growth to meet future workforce needs and capacity of service. This is expected to be published in March 2024.
Please email MAPS@hee.nhs.uk for any further information.
Physician Associates Preceptorship Year
As part of the nationally agreed funding model introduced in 2018, NHS England (NHSE) funds a £5,000 incentive payment through a preceptorship model for each physician associate trainee employed in a primary care provider after completing education. This is paid to the primary care provider (GP Practice/PCN) with the expectation that the employer will provide preceptorship support and supervision in return.
The following conditions apply:
- Provider is employing a physician associate (PA) into their first role in primary care
- Provider delivers a structured preceptorship programme which meets NHSE Primary Care Preceptorship Year guidance
Application Process
Following acceptance of the criteria, employing organisations will need to contact their relevant NHSE office to begin the application process.
Full details including the full criteria are available in the following documents:
- PA Preceptorship Mentorship Guidance 2023
- PA Preceptorship Guidance 2023
- PA Employers Guide (FPA)
- Preceptorship Funding Application Form Oct 2023
GP Ready Programme
https://www.gmthub.co.uk/gp-ready-programme/physician-associate
Aimed at both new to general practice and newly qualified Physician Associates, GMTHs PA GP Ready Programme went live with a successful launch on the 30th July 2021. Led by Ricky Staniland, an experienced general practice PA and educator, our 39 week, Friday morning, programme is designed to give new to general practice PAs the necessary skills, confidence and competence to fully embed them into working in general practice with tutorials on clinical topics such as cardiovascular disease, respiratory disease and diabetes as well as non-clinical topics such as quality improvement and leadership. Please find attached our current course schedule. PA GP Ready Course Programme. GMTH are offering this as a step on/step off programme, meaning PAs can join at any point. We still have places available on the programme so if you have an eligible PA in post register now by visiting our website.
Additional Resources
Infographic showing the steps to employing a PA in primary care is here – Physician Associates in Primary Care Pathway FINALPA App Primary Care Infographic FINAL and a PA role summary is here – PA App Primary Care Infographic FINAL