PRIMARY CARE
Physician Associate
Physician associates (PAs) are healthcare professionals who work as part of a multidisciplinary team under the supervision of a named senior doctor (a General Medical Council (GMC)-registered consultant or GP). While they are not medical doctors, PAs can assess, diagnose, and treat patients in primary, secondary and community care environments within their scope of practice.
PAs add to the breadth of skills within multidisciplinary teams, to help meet the needs of patients and enable more care to be delivered in clinical settings and have been part of the healthcare workforce for 20 years in the UK.
In July 2019, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), together with the four UK governments, announced that the General Medical Council (GMC) was the chosen regulator of physician associates. Following a DSHC public consultation last year, regulation for PAs from the GMC is now underway.
For more information on the PA role from NHSE click here
NHS Learning Hub
The NHS Learning Hub now hosts a dedicated CPD space for additional roles in primary care – designed to support your ongoing professional development with accessible, practical learning.
You’ll find a growing collection of clinical tutorials, resources, and useful links across key areas including:
A short promotional video is available to guide you through the hub and show how easy it is to access and use the content.
We’re also looking to expand the library further. If you have expertise in a clinical area and would like to help develop new learning content, please get in touch at [email protected] .
Visit the NHS Learning Hub today and explore the CPD resources available to you. https://learninghub.nhs.uk/
What's happening
Opportunities
Apprenticeships
Universities are currently developing PA Level 7 apprenticeship programmes. For more info, visit our Apprenticeships page
Guidance for continuing professional development (CPD) for physician associates
From 1 April 2024, all PAs will be required to start logging their CPD through the FPA ePortfolio. See more here.
GP and PA Guide
If you cannot view the below PDF, you can open or download it here: GP and Physician Associate Guide
Base Scope of Practice and UMAPsSelf-Assessment Tool for Physician Associates and Supervisors
Employer Guide
Please select the Employer guide for further information: Employer Guide
Find out more
About Physician Associates
Training
To qualify as a PA in the UK, students must complete either:
A postgraduate (level 7, ie a masters level) degree in Physician Associate studies OR Integrated undergraduate masters degree, this is currently offered at UCLan and is the first of its kind in the UK
Both programmes consist of theoretical learning in medical sciences, pharmacology, clinical reasoning, as well as clinical placement experience. To enter post graduate PA training, individuals must be either an existing registered healthcare professional or a graduate with a biomedical science or biological/life science degree.
All programmes in the UK are run in accordance with the Competency and Curriculum Framework developed by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Royal College of General Practitioners. Once they have completed a PA degree programme, all candidates must pass the PA National Examination, which is delivered by the RCP Assessment Unit, to be able to register as a PA in the UK.
Is there any recruitment funding available to Primary Care Networks?
This is a role that is included in the Additional Roles Recruitment Scheme from April 2021. Primary Care Networks may therefore be able to access funding via the CCG to cover salary and on-costs. Find out more about the scheme and workforce planning by contacting the GP Forward View Leads who work with the CCG’s Primary Care Team and viewing information in the ‘Opportunities’ section, more information/funding above.
What's happening
Resources & Videos
Useful documents to support Physician Associates in Primary Care
- LSC Framework on Supervision for Additional Clinical Roles in General Practice 11.09.2024
- Core capabilities framework
- Core capabilities framework
- PA Employers Guide
- HEE – Physician Associates
- Employing PAs in general practice (FPARCP)
- L&SC PA NTP
- PA-NTP-Handbook-Oct-2022
- Royal College of Physicians – background to the profession
There’s more information about the PA role on the Health Careers website.
James Catton is a qualified and experienced PA with his own channel called ‘The Physician Associate podcast.’ You can hear a variety of news and contributor views covering topics such as GMC regulation, supervision of PAs in primary care and preceptorship years.
- CQC – mythbusters
- RCP policy updates
- NHSE Guidance on deployment of medical associate professionals in NHS healthcare settings
- FPA Code of Conduct
- FPA Physician Associate Titles and Introductions Guidance
- NHSE Supervision Guidance for Primary Care Network multidisciplinary teams
- GMC Advice for Physician Associates – Working within your competence
