Amanda Pritchard, Chief Executive of NHS England, has expressed deep concern for the well-being of PAs, acknowledging that they are facing significant challenges and requiring additional mental health support within the workplace.
Medical professionals and trade unions have voiced concerns about the blurring of professional boundaries within the NHS, arguing that the increasing reliance on PAs could undermine the role of doctors and compromise patient safety.
“There’s a lot of strong feeling about this, and some of the social media debate in particular has spilled over into, for some colleagues, their working environment being very difficult,” she tld PoliticsHome website.
“I’m certainly aware of a number of places that are having to provide quite a lot of mental health support, as well as professional support, for people in those roles.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced a government review into the deployment of PAs, addressing concerns about patient clarity regarding the level of care they are receiving and the potential for PAs to substitute for fully qualified doctors. The review, which was launched on 20 November and will be led by Professor Gillian Leng CBE, will gather evidence from patients, staff, employers, professional bodies, and academics.
Pritchard said the NHS was “clear” that PAs were “not replacements for doctors”, but said an “independent” review was “absolutely the right decision” as “good multi-disciplinary team working” is key to the NHS running smoothly.
“We’ve got really legitimate concerns being expressed from doctors and others,” she said.
“So having a proper evidence-based review with an independent person who can talk to lots of different people, gather evidence and give us some genuinely independent advice on the best way forward is absolutely right.” However, she added that “it is worth us remembering these are not new roles”.
“These have been around for a very long time, both in this country and internationally. There was a plan, still is a plan, to regulate those roles. That was always going to be critical because that helps to really codify the Code of Practice.”
Statutory regulation of PAs is due to start in one week’s time under the General medical Council, on 13th December 2024.
The British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of GPs (RCGP) have expressed concerns over the increasing use of PAs, citing potential risks to patient safety and transparency. They have urged a halt to further recruitment until a comprehensive review of their role and scope of practice is conducted.