Today is a landmark day as the physician associate (PA) and anaesthesia associate (AA) register has formally opened.
Regulation for PAs and AAs came into effect at the end of last week. On Friday afternoon I chaired an extraordinary meeting of our Council, where we confirmed the rules, standards and guidance that will apply to all PAs and AAs once they are registered with us.
This is undoubtedly a positive development for patients, who need to have a level of confidence in the professionals they encounter when they’re accessing care. A recognition of the benefit to patient safety is, of course, why many PAs have been calling for regulation for a number of years. In meeting with PAs over the last few months, I have been able to see how much being a regulated professional means to many individuals. As a doctor, I too am regulated, and I value regulation highly in my own professional life. When we work with patients we are in a position of trust, and being a registrant of the GMC is reflective of that responsibility.
Today we’ve started to send invitations to PAs on the managed voluntary registers. Everyone who is on those registers will receive an invitation by 31 January 2025 and you should wait for that invitation before applying. That’s because we are pre-verifying everyone’s qualification and assessment details beforehand, so that the application process can be quicker and easier. If you’re a PA who isn’t on the managed voluntary register, you can apply right away via our website where you will find all the information you need.
I was delighted to make my first appearance on the Physician Associate Podcast earlier today and to offer a personal note of welcome to regulation to the profession as a whole. I look forward to extending that welcome to many individual professionals over the coming weeks and months as they receive their GMC registration.
With best wishes
Carrie
Reader note- Official press release from the GMC