Should we know the qualifications of the person who is treating us?

Very often the name badge is the wrong way round, obscured or not even being worn and tbh I don't like to ask. My late DH had regular NHS podiatry appts and the clinic rooms all had a notice saying the person seeing you should introduce themselves although most of them we knew.

Astitchintime

Does this extend to HCA’s then……some of whom are qualified in phlebotomy and cannulation but not all of them are. Do we ask “are you trained to do that” when they approach us with the necessary equipment?

I get so annoyed at our surgery when they describe the healthcare assistant as “the nurse”’. She hasn’t undergone any nurse training and had no nurse qualifications. I had a tricky experience with one when she changed my late husband’s complex wound dressing. She had not a clue. We were told we were seeing “the nurse” 🙄.

As I understand it the new system will only allow a PA to treat once a doctor has diagnosed.

I was misdiagnosed by a qualified doctor in A&E and nearly died of sepsis as a result

I do not post here, but always read comments. NEVER have treatment from people not fully qualified. I was offered physio treatment by nhs for what they said was a simple shoulder problem, after a year that nothing improved but actually got worse I was dismissed from the unit.

After 6 months and a visit and X-ray with a professional I was told that I had the worst arthritic shoulder seen for a long time.
and needed surgery.

My message is, NEVER have physio before an X-ray with a fully qualified person. It

PAs are more nursing assistants than physician's assistants. Faced with one I would ask politely if I could be seen by a nurse, as she is better trained.

I was treated in A&E by a young lady who told me that she had been there a week, and had worked in Poundstretcher the week before. It was simply that I had something in my eye and needed a water wash, but still.....

M0nica

PAs are more nursing assistants than physician's assistants. Faced with one I would ask politely if I could be seen by a nurse, as she is better trained.

They aren’t, they are specifically trained to do elements of a doctor’s role rather than tasks undertaken by nurses. Nurses can apply to undertake the postgraduate physician’s assistant course if they wish though.

Fairislecable

I was diagnosed with high blood pressure by a PA and had to go back to the Drs to discuss medication but this could only be with a PA.

Luckily I checked into the staff listed on the health centre website and could see that one of the Assistants was a pharmacist graduate. He was so helpful and knew in depth the pros and cons of each medication. He also had time to discuss what would be best for my particular set of problems.

This is the best use of PAs.

A pharmacist in a GP surgery is not an associate but an expert in the drug treatment, often able to prescribe but will tend not to diagnose especially at first visit.
Sometimes (like in hospital) the GP will ask the pharmacist for advice as to specifics on treatment and what can be added to existing medication.

nanna8

I have never heard of physician associates. Maybe we don’t have them in Australia, I don’t know. I can’t imagine our doctors accepting anything like that.

(Just looked it up - apparently they trialled them but they are not generally used here, a lot of opposition from doctors. )

That is because the young British doctors are getting jobs in Australia because physician associates are taking their jobs here

There are plenty of newly qualified Dtrs available,it is not true there isn't any around. The thing is P As are cheaper for the GP Practices to employ and General practices are run like a business .
I always ask if the person i have an appt with is a Dtr as i would not want to see a PA. I am surprised the qualified GPs who took 7 yrs training are happy about this..

i am a patient that doctors don't like because i ask questions, i have been in hospital 12 times in 8 years starting with bowel cancer, i have a fear of needles, but 6 months to live without the operation means hospital, they gave me cream to numb the area for blood tests and cannulas but one doctor would ignore it, after the second time i refused to allow him to treat me. i always ask what is in the drips and what are the tablets they want me to take, i am not difficult or cheeky with the staff, i respect them, but i feel i have the right to know what they are doing, people make mistakes and we hear about it more and more, my late partner almost overdosed because a nurse gave him all 8 of his heavy duty painkillers after me saying he takes 2 every 4 hours, the staff nurse came and said sorry and explained the nurses english was not very good. everyone needs to be treated with someone who knows what they are doing.

To add insult to injury, PAs are paid more than Junior doctors

According to Chatgtp:

PAs start on £43,742 pa rising to just over £50,000

Junior Doctors

FY1 about £33,000 pa

Fy2 about £38,000 pa

Both these FY grades have full medical duties from day 1

PAs Are legally restricted in what they can do.

I can see why Junior Doctors are unhappy with their pay...

I find this situation rather similar to the controversy about the duties and responsibilities of Cover Supervisors as opposed to teachers when the CS's were first introduced.

I don't approve of either role...

nexus63

i am a patient that doctors don't like because i ask questions, i have been in hospital 12 times in 8 years starting with bowel cancer, i have a fear of needles, but 6 months to live without the operation means hospital, they gave me cream to numb the area for blood tests and cannulas but one doctor would ignore it, after the second time i refused to allow him to treat me. i always ask what is in the drips and what are the tablets they want me to take, i am not difficult or cheeky with the staff, i respect them, but i feel i have the right to know what they are doing, people make mistakes and we hear about it more and more, my late partner almost overdosed because a nurse gave him all 8 of his heavy duty painkillers after me saying he takes 2 every 4 hours, the staff nurse came and said sorry and explained the nurses english was not very good. everyone needs to be treated with someone who knows what they are doing.

Absolutely true dat!

I always put as "I'm the one that is living in this body - so I am the one best able to say what it feels like/how it reacts to things etc".

As for the grasp of language - it was a British person that was the podiatrist that treated me at one point. But she mixed-up the word "Lanacane" (which I am allergic to) with "Lidocaine" that I am not allergic to (which is the local anaesthetic often used for foot procedures) and she had a right row with me and even called me names!!!!!! At which point I realised she must be "first language Welsh" as it's called in this Welsh-speaking part of Wales I am in now - and I now get a very expensive taxi to a bigger town and use a guy who is "first language English" - because he is English. I need someone who speaks English as well as I do - because they are English too. I do run what checks I can on everyone else in case they don't these days....and I couldnt care less what nationality they are in this respect - but they must speak as perfect English as I do....

To add insult to injury, PAs are paid more than Junior doctors

That is an insult
And just ridiculous!!
Presumably more than newly qualified nurses too, who have undergone three years of training to degree level.

Whose idea was this? I hope it's short lived.

They were first introduced in the UK in 2003! 😯

They're quite useful in hospitals I think, they can do the discharge summary they can clerk the ward rounds, take histories, explain to families,make phonecalls, liaise with the discharge planning team etc - their training fits them to do this & they are always working as part of a team so they can't overstep the mark.
In GPs surgeries I don't see what they can do that a GP or specialist or practice nurse wouldn't be more appropriate for.

Allira

^To add insult to injury, PAs are paid more than Junior doctors^

That is an insult
And just ridiculous!!
Presumably more than newly qualified nurses too, who have undergone three years of training to degree level.

Whose idea was this? I hope it's short lived.

There was a lot of 'discussion' about PAs on twitter or BlueSky (I can't recall which) either early this year or late last year. \People were not happy about them.

Be very careful as not very long a go I was as to make appointment to see the Practice Nurse re my blood test,
and administer the pneumonia vaccine
I chatting to the Practice Nurse ??and asked her where did she train as a nurse
She said she didn’t do any training I said did you do any NVQ she said no
As she was a cleaner for Lady Doctor in the practice
And Lady Doctor as her to work two days a week at the surgery
Please check who is carrying out your treatment

🤔
Really?

Was she a phlobotemist, perhaps?

😯

You do not need medical training to administer vaccines, apparently!
you do not need healthcare experience. We need you to demonstrate excellent communication skills and be able to interact with the public. We will train you to give the vaccine and provide public health advice to the public.
24 Jan 2025
University Hospitals, Birmingham

The receptionist should know who’s who at the surgery so that they can honestly tell you whether the appointment you’re making is actually with a qualified GP,practice nurse or PA.

I seem to remember that all sorts of people were drafted in to give Covid vaccinations. I don't suppose you can go far wrong with that.

I much prefer HCAs to do my B12 jabs though - they tend to be more experienced in giving them than the qualified nurses who have more complex duties, and although they do hurt (they go into the muscle and the substance stings) they do them quickly and cleanly. Often more senior staff faff about a bit as they know the injections are painful and try to do them gently. You can't stab someone in the muscle gently . Just get it over with.

They do have to get it in a muscle, though, not in a vein!

Absolutely agree that we should know the status of our medical practitioner but I think with the way things currently are we are lucky to see anyone! I know a couple who both can hardly walk and in a lot of pain and in desperate need of hip ops. He is 80. She is 76. Not even on a waiting list!! They are planning their trip abroad at £7000 each which includes a week to convalesce with physio . They are not wealthy people.