Competence of Physician Associates
Dear General Medical Council,
I understand the GMC is advocating prescribing rights for PAs and allowing them to request ionising radiation.
What training do PAs have in pharmacology and prescribing?
What training do PAs have in the use of ionising radiation?
Given that PA training is unregulated, how can you be sure that any training in any area is sufficient for patient safety?
What risk assessments have been carried out prior to considering the expansion of PAs' responsibilities?
Yours faithfully,
Susan Sollazzi
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Dear Susan Sollazzi,
Your information request – IR1-4515515351
Thank you for your Email below dated 21^st July 2024.
How we will consider your request
We are going to consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA). The FOIA gives us 20 working days to respond, but we’ll come
back to you as soon as we can.
Your request will be allocated to a member of the team. If you have any
queries please email [1][GMC request email].
Kind regards,
Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
Dear Susan Sollazzi,
Your information request – IR1-4515515351
Thank you for your email dated 21 July 2024. I have considered your
request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
I have answered your questions as below:
What training do PAs have in pharmacology and prescribing?
What training do PAs have in the use of ionising radiation?
Currently, PAs are not able to prescribe or request ionising radiation. I
have included a link to our website which provides further information in
this area: [1]Future prescribing and ordering ionising radiation - GMC
(gmc-uk.org)
Given that PA training is unregulated, how can you be sure that any
training in any area is sufficient for patient safety?
I don’t believe this is a request for information under s.8(1) FOIA and
I’m therefore unable to provide an answer to your question. The FOIA
provides for access to recorded information and does not provide a route
to obtain further commentary in this manner.
The FOIA doesn’t require public authorities to respond to requests when
they aren’t valid requests for recorded information. As a public
authority, we only have to provide information we already have in recorded
form and we’re not obliged to create new information in response to a
request. You may wish to rephrase your query in such a way that it would
be a valid request under the FOIA, in that it asks for specific recorded
information.
What risk assessments have been carried out prior to considering the
expansion of PAs' responsibilities
We do not hold any recorded information relating to risk assessments
considering the expansion of PAs’ responsibilities. It is not for the GMC
to make decisions about extending prescribing rights to PAs or AAs, or
their ability to order ionising radiation once regulated. This is the
responsibility of the Government.
Who to contact
If you would like to appeal my response, please set out your reasons in
writing to [2][GMC request email]. Please note that we will only usually
consider appeals received within 40 working days of our response. You can
also appeal to the [3]Information Commissioner, the regulator of the FOIA
and DPA.
Kind regards,
Henna Janghir
Information Access Officer
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
Email: [4][email address]
Tel: 0161 923 6710
Website: [5]www.gmc-uk.org
From: FOI
Sent: Tuesday, July 23, 2024 3:48 PM
To: 'Susan Sollazzi' <[FOI #1149110 email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Competence of Physician
Associates
Dear Susan Sollazzi,
Your information request – IR1-4515515351
Thank you for your Email below dated 21^st July 2024.
How we will consider your request
We are going to consider your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 (FOIA). The FOIA gives us 20 working days to respond, but we’ll come
back to you as soon as we can.
Your request will be allocated to a member of the team. If you have any
queries please email [6][GMC request email].
Kind regards,
Information Access Team
General Medical Council
3 Hardman Street
Manchester
M3 3AW
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