Physician assistants

The physician assistants (previously known as physician associates) are healthcare professionals with a generalist healthcare education who work alongside doctors and surgeons providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. PAs work under the supervision of a named senior doctor (such as a named General Medical Council registered consultant or general practitioner).

PAs roles have been working in the UK since 2003 and can be found working in primary and secondary care across 20 specialty areas in the UK such as internal medicine, general practice, surgery and emergency medicine.

PAs trained in the UK have undertaken postgraduate medical training in PA studies. These studies are spread over a period of at least 90 weeks (approximately 3,200 hours, divided into 1,600 hours of theory and 1,600 hours of clinical practice).

This is an intensive two-year course based on the competence and curriculum framework for the PA, consisting of theoretical learning in medical sciences, pharmacology and clinical reasoning, as well as clinical placement experience in a wide variety of settings.

To enrol on a PA programme, students must already hold an undergraduate degree, usually in a biomedical or health/ life science field and have some prior health or social care experience.

PAs are utilised as supplementary members of the multidisciplinary team in a wide range of clinical areas, and under the supervision of a named senior doctor. The specific tasks performed are dependent upon the clinical area worked in and can vary between hospitals. 

PAs operate within the limits of their competence and a defined scope of practice, which is decided locally by the supervising consultant or GP and may change over time as their knowledge, skills and experience develops. 

PAs bring a helpful skillset as additional members of staff supporting services. A significant aspect of the PA role is supporting with ward rounds, reading and writing in patient notes and communicating across the MDT supporting departmental productivity. Their ability to consult with certain patients enables more clinics to be offered, reducing waiting times and the likelihood of cancelled lists.

PAs are trained to work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence to perform the following duties:

• taking medical histories from patients
• carrying out physical examinations
• see triaged patients with minor ailments
• manage patients with long-term chronic conditions
• assist in developing treatment plans
• developing and delivering appropriate treatment and management plans
• providing health promotion and disease prevention advice for patients.

Currently physician assistants are not able to:

• prescribe

• administer and/or supply medicines under a patient group direction.

  A patient group direction (PGD) is a written instruction for the supply and/or administration of medicines to groups of individuals who may not be individually identified before presenting for treatment.  Read further information on PGDs. 

  Subject to locally determined governance arrangements, a PA may administer medicines under a patient specific direction. A patient specific direction (PSD) is a written instruction, signed by an authorised prescriber, for medicine(s) to be administered to a named person after the prescriber has assessed the patient. Read further guidance on PSDs.

For those currently on the MVR (for PAs or PAAs) the GMC will have issued invitations to apply for registration. Individuals should have received an invitation with a link to their GMC online account which included their verified qualification and assessment details.  

This link will commence the process of registration.

PAs and PAAs not currently on the MVR will need to apply directly to the GMC. Applicants will need to complete an eligibility checker and set up a GMC online account before completing the application. 

Individual PAs and PAAs will need to have contacted the GMC themselves to commence the process.