Physician/Anaesthesi a - I’ve only just heard of them

Oops just spotted the extra space in the heading. Sorry.

grannyactivist

I’m shocked that I’ve only just discovered that these roles exist as I have a keen, and I thought, informed, interest in health matters, especially insofar as GP surgeries are concerned.

Have any grans come across PA’s or AA’s? If not I’ll attach a couple of links to articles about them. Basically this is a role that follows on from postgrad studies with a 2 year training period and then allows the PA/AA to do similar work to a fully trained doctor or anaesthesiologist- and they start on a much higher salary.

I’m still informing myself about the role, but my gut reaction is that the training seems inadequate (compared to a fully qualified doctor’s), especially for anaesthesia.

www.bma.org.uk/bma-media-centre/new-survey-shows-shocking-scale-of-concern-from-doctors-over-use-of-physician-associates

www.bmj.com/content/383/bmj.p2449

So a bioscience first to get on the training programme, or an undergraduate integrated Master of Physician studies, all requiring A level achievement.
Most of them carry out the same role as a Nurse Practitioner, both whom have direct access to a Dr/ Gp.
As for working with anaesthesia,ODP and Anaesthesia associates have been working alongside Anaesthetist for as long as I can remember.
We see more NP than GPs nowadays, nothing wrong with seeing P. A.

The nurse practitioner at our gp practice is better than the gps.

My daughter is a Clinical Nurse Manager and has a wide skill set, so I’m not knocking the use of ancillary roles at all. I am however rather shocked that the role has existed for so long and I’ve only just come across it.

I do wonder why, with less training PAs and AAs start on a higher salary than the junior doctors they are overseen by, and I think their regulation needs to be urgently addressed.