Physician Associates

 

 How do Physician Associates fit into the NHS workforce?

Although physician associates are medical associate practitioners, they can also practice independently and make independent decisions sometimes under the review of the supervising GP. This is enabled by collaboration and supportive working relationships with their clinical supervisors, meaning that there is always someone who can discuss cases, give advice, and review patients if necessary.

How can they help physicians/the system?

Physician Associates increase the numbers of the medical workforce and increase access to quality care for patients. They act in an enabling role, helping to reduce the healthcare team’s workload. They bring new talent to the NHS and add to the skill mix within the teams. While trainee doctors and surgeons rotate through different specialties, physician associates offer continuity of care for patients, as well as institutional memory for the team in which they work. Physician associate support also provides cover so that trainee doctors and surgeons can attend training, clinic, or theatre.

What training and qualifications do Physician Associates have?

Physician Associate students already have an undergraduate degree in a life science and/or a significant background in healthcare. To become a Physician Associate, students take a 2-year, full-time, intensive postgraduate course in medical science and clinical reasoning; this consists of 50% theory and 50% practice. It includes over 1,400 hours of clinical placement experience in both acute and community settings, starting at an early point of the course. This training is based on the Competence and curriculum framework for the physician associate (Department of Health 2006, revised 2012). The UK and Ireland Universities Board for Physician Associate Education links together all the universities in the UK that provide physician associate courses. It provides a network for setting standards for education and delivery of the physician associate curriculum and for sharing best practice. PAs are required to complete a national exam at the end of their degree.

Once qualified, Physician Associates must:
• Maintain 50 hours of CPD each year
• Sit a recertification examination every 6 years.

VISIT NHSE WEBSITE FOR MORE INFO

 

Physician Associates in Primary Care

The LLR Training Hub Clinical Lead for Wider Workforce, Dr Krishan Patel has written an article on Physician Associates in Primary Care which includes interviews with two PAs currently working at the Glenfield Surgery in Leicester. 

READ ARTICLE

Physician Associates Toolkit

The LLR Training Hub have devised a Physician Associate Survivors guide which includes a number of modules to support your new Physician Associate into Primary Care.  

Click here to access the Toolkit

 

Recruiting a Physician Associate in Primary Care

Information from NHS England

Primary Care Training Hubs bring together education and training in Primary Care to assist you in planning your PCN workforce, help you recruit and retain your PCN workforce and to help you introduce and embed new staff roles.
We understand you have expressed an interest in recruiting a Physician Associate (PA) as part of the Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) within your PCN. Primary Care Training Hubs can provide support for you with this process and support retention of your new PA through an HEE preceptorship grant.

Recruitment
One of the best ways to begin recruiting PAs is hosting a student PA on placement during their training. Several PCNs in our region are in the process of recruiting the 2ND year PA students that they hosted on placement over the past year, as they already know them and have been directly involved in their development. If you would be interested in hosting a student PA within the PCN, in the future please do let your local Training Hub know and we can arrange a time to discuss this further.
If you wish to recruit more widely for a PA, you could advertise via NHS Jobs or on a local LMC website. HEE also run occasional PA recruitment events, where you would be welcome to attend as a potential employer.

Salary Expectations
As all PA courses are at a Postgraduate (Masters/PGDip) level, it is worth noting that there is an expectation that PAs should be employed at an AFC Band 7 equivalent salary (£40,057) as a starting point, and this is what the ARRS in Primary Care allows for. All acute NHS Trusts advertise for PAs at this banding as do most Primary Care employ.

Indemnity
Student PAs and Qualified PAs are covered under the Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice operated by NHS Resolution for more information visit their website here. Additional, private, cover through for example the MDU, MPS or MDDUS may also be advisable depending on the physician associates’ roles and duties. Many group policies do cover PAs – please check with your indemnity provider.

Preceptorship
The concept of a preceptorship year is increasingly used across clinical professions to support the development of both clinical and professional skills in complex clinical environments. Having completed their pre-registration education, support for new graduates on entry into the workforce has been demonstrated to enhance confidence and competence, providing a bridge between the supervision of the pre-registration learner and the mature clinician. Preceptorship also supports retention of your workforce. The HEE Preceptorship grant is available to support both newly qualified PAs and those taking up their first post in Primary Care [within 12 months of qualifying]. For more information about applying for a Preceptorship Year please contact the HEE Midlands Primary Care School by emailing england.midlandsprimarycareschool@nhs.net

Supervision
PA are classed as dependent practitioners, so will need access to a named clinical supervisor. In most circumstances this is a GP, but this does not need to be a GP Trainer but does need someone with recognised Clinical Supervision training. At present legislation does not allow PAs to independently prescribe medications but with the anticipated regulation of PAs by the GMC this is likely to change in the future.

Job Descriptions/Person Specifications
The Faculty of Physician Associates webpage has some useful information, including an example job description and person specification, which you may find helpful. https://www.fparcp.co.uk/employers/guidance

Further Information
If you have any further questions or queries regarding PAs in Primary Care, please email england.midlandsprimarycareschool@nhs.net

Physician Associate Graduate Preceptorship

LLR Training Hub is working in collaboration with NHS England to support practices who choose to recruit a Physician Associate. Those practices who recruit newly qualified PAs in to post can access funding of £5,000 for their first preceptorship year of employment, funded by NHS England. 

For an application form to apply for funding, please contact us at llrtraining.hub@nhs.net.  Please read the criteria below prior to applying.

Eligibility Criteria

NHS E Preceptorship Guidance

Useful Links

The Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA)

The FPA offers useful resources and guidance documents including:

• Employers guide to Physician Associates
• Template induction plan 
• First year post qualification documentation
   

Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) 

NHS England - Case Study

The physician associate will see you now - new role to assist patients in primary care.

Case Study