1. Physician Associates
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2. Outline History of profession Education across country
USA and UK
Education across country
Competence and curriculum framework
Assessment
Regulation / Registration
RCP (London) & PA Faculty
What do PAs do?
A day in the life (HE WestMidlands):

3. A Physician ‘Assistant’ is……
“a new healthcare professional who, while not a doctor, works to the medical model, with the attitudes, skills and knowledge base to deliver holistic care and treatment within the general medical and /or general practice team under defined levels of supervision.”
(The Competence and Curriculum Framework for the Physician Assistant, Dept. of Health, 2006; revised 2012)

4. Or more inclusive…
Physician associates (PAs) are healthcare professionals with a generalist medical education, who work alongside doctors, physicians, GPs and surgeons providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. Physician associates are dependent practitioners working with a dedicated supervisor, but are able to work autonomously with appropriate support.
(Faculty of PAs at RCP)

5. USA 50 years >120, 000 PAs certified 1PA:9 MDs qualifying Canada
Australia
England & Wales
USA 50 years >120, 000 PAs certified 1PA:9 MDs qualifying
Canada
Scotland & NI
South Africa
Netherlands
Taiwan
NZ &&&

6. Competencies Procedural Skills Matrix of Conditions
DH specification for PA education
Competence and Curriculum Framework 2006 revised 2012
Competencies Procedural Skills Matrix of Conditions
Programme Specification
~ 3200 hours over 2 yrs ~ 50% clinical (incl. 200 simulation hours) ~ 50% theory

7. Funding PGDip, F/T, 50+ hours per week No student loans (yet)
From Jan 2018: 2.5k per student per year
Some local support:
Bursaries (local HE support)
Trusts e.g Plymouth
’CCGs’ e.g. Powys

8. How did we get to here?

9. Projected number of PA graduates in UK as at 28/9/15

10. Physician Associate (UK)

11. Faculty of Physician Associates Royal College of Physicians
UKAPA professional organisation
established 1/7/15
Combining ‘college’ & profession & ‘regulation’ & assessment & accreditation
Other royal colleges (RCPRCS, RCGP, RCEM, RCPaeds) involved

12. Assessment National (MCQ & OSCE)
Currently run by Faculty of PAs at RCP (London)
RECERTIFICATION 6-YEARLY (MCQ only)

13. Regulation & Registration
Not statutory
~85% of PAs ARE on Managed Voluntary Register (at FPARCP) = approx. 580
HCPC willing to regulate
GMC:
‘we do believe that physician associates should be subject to statutory regulation’
‘We would give the matter serious consideration if the four governments of the UK and the profession felt we should take on this role’

14. Public consultation on regulation of MAPs
Closed December 22nd
MAJOR progress
High response rate
Results next month

15. What do PAs do? Acute Medicine Cardiology
Care of the Elderly / Geriatrics
Dermatology
Endocrinology
Gastroenterology
General Internal Medicine
Genitourinary Medicine / Sexual Health
Haematology
Infectious Diseases
Lymphoedema
Nephrology
Neurology
Psychiatry
Rehabilitation Medicine
Respiratory Medicine
Breast surgery
Maxillofacial Surgery
Colorectal Surgery
Neurosurgery
Orthopaedic Surgery
Otolaryngology
Paediatric Surgery
Plastic Surgery
Spinal Surgery
Trauma and Orthopaedics
Urology
Vascular Surgery
Paediatric Critical Care
General Paediatrics
Drennan et al. Primary and secondary care publications

16. Recent reports/publicity
RCEM
RCP Future Hospital Commission
GP Forward view
Etc.
Jeremy Hunt
Times
Guardian
TorygraphBBC/ITV/radio ++
Sky news

17. Conclusion Significant growth of PA courses
Newly qualified PAs will still be beginners
BUT
Can make a substantial contribution to continuity for - patients & - health care teams
A very realistic option FOR BIOSCIENCE AND HEALTH SCIENCE GRADS AND THOSE WITH HEALTH CARE/LIFE EXPERIENCE

18. James Ennis University of Birmingham June 2018 j.ennis@bham.ac.uk
Contact Details
James Ennis
University of Birmingham
June 2018