THE Department of Health has said Physicians Associates remain “a valued element of the workforce” in Northern Ireland, despite legal action from a health union claiming they are “eroding” the medical profession.
Ulster University currently runs a two-year Master’s programme for Physicians Associate (PA) course in Derry.
The role is described as a healthcare professional trained in the medical model that works under the supervision of a doctor in a range of medical specialities in primary and secondary care.
Their duties can include taking medical histories, carrying out physical examinations, formulating diagnosis, requesting and interpreting tests and investigations, undertaking procedures and developing treatment and management plans.
"If others won't lead, we will."
— The BMA (@TheBMA) June 24, 2024
Today @DrPhilBanfield announced we are launching legal action against the GMC, over MAPs and the use of the term ‘medical professionals’.
Here's why ⬇️📣 #ARM2024 pic.twitter.com/GDUaTGqKrZ
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The prospectus adds that the course aims to ensure graduates are “safe and competent clinicians” at the point of qualification.
At the British Medical Association’s annual conference in Belfast on Monday, council chair Phil Banfield said the union would not stand for the government and NHS leadership “eroding” the profession any further.
The legal action is against the General Medical Council, with the BMA stating they are not the right organisation to regulate PAs.
Professor Banfield also objected to the GMC using the term “medical professionals” to describe PAs, which he said should only be used for fully trained doctors.
“PAs are not doctors, and we have seen the tragic consequences of what happens when this is not made clear to patients,” he said.
“Everyone has the right to know who the healthcare professional they are seeing is and what they are qualified to do – and crucially, not to do.
“Doctors are ‘the medical profession’. To describe any other staff as medical professionals not only undermines doctors and the rigorous training journey they have been on, but also confuses patients, who rightly associate the two terms as one and the same.”
He also said the GMC had a responsibility to “protect the public from those who were “pretending to be doctors”.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said they were aware of the legal action but that it was inappropriate to comment further.
“There are currently approximately 80 Physician Associates working in Northern Ireland across all 5 HSC Trusts and in primary care. They are a valued element of the workforce,” they said.
Responding to the legal action, a GMC spokesperson said all four UK governments had asked the body to take on regulation of PAs and AAs (anaesthesia associates).
“Regulation will help to assure patients, colleagues and employers that PAs and AAs are safe to practise and can be held to account if serious concerns are raised,” they said.
“As a multi-professional regulator, we will recognise and regulate doctors, PAs and AAs as three distinct professions.
“PAs and AAs don’t have the same knowledge, skills and expertise as doctors. They are not doctors but they can, and do, play important roles within multidisciplinary teams when appropriate and effective clinical governance and supervision are in place.”
