The RCP have pledged to release additional supportive guidance documents for physician associates, covering a range of key topics to help inform and guide the profession, the wider healthcare workforce and patients.
Following the publication in October 2023 of the first piece of supportive guidance about the ‘Physician associate title and introduction guidance for PAs, supervisors, employers and organisations’ the FPARCP has committed to providing further guidance documents.
Dr Sarah Clarke, president of the Royal College of Physicians, has confirmed that the FPA and RCP have established a multiprofessional writing group to develop additional guidance documents to provide clarity on PA supervision, scope of practice and career development, and an RCP oversight group to ensure that the strategic objectives outlined by the RCP Council are achieved in a timely and appropriate manner.
Representatives are currently working hard in the background to develop additional guidance documents that will help support us in practice. Documents in progress are expected to focus on:
- physician associate supervision
- physician associate scope of practice
- physician associate career development.
There is currently a public consultation open seeking feedback on proposed career development framework for physician associates.