Difference between doctors and physician associates (PAs)
Dear General Medical Council,
1. Given that:
- the GMC describes prescribing & IRMER restrictions for PAs as 'current' and is promoting their removal,
and
- GMC's Medical Director and Director of Education and Standards, Professor Colin Melville, has said he expects to see consultant PA’s,
what is the intended difference in terms of scope between a doctor and a PA?
2. Given:
- the above,
- the fact that any student interested in medicine can qualify as a PA in just 2 years, while doctors are not fully qualified until they complete 10 years of study and training,
and
- newly qualified PAs have better pay and conditions than F1 and F2 doctors,
does the GMC anticipate a drop in applications to study medicine and in doctors registering with the GMC?
3. Despite past emphasis on intelligence, dedication, and intensive study in our medical professionals (i.e. doctors), it appears that the GMC's position is that 2 years' study is sufficient to allow a PA to work in the role of a doctor/consultant. That being the case, with regard to patient safety, what research does GMC rely on in promoting the use of lesser qualified PAs in the role doctors?
Yours faithfully,
Susan Sollazzi
Thank you for getting in touch. Please note this is an automated email.
Your receipt of this means that we have safely received your email.
We are currently receiving a high volume of requests and there will be a
delay in getting back to you with a further acknowledgement. We will do so
as soon as we can.
Since 6 December 2023, the GMC has been subject to the Welsh Language
Standards. You are welcome to contact us in Welsh and we will respond in
Welsh, without this causing additional delay.
In the meantime, if you want any further information about the GMC, please
visit our website: [1]Home - GMC (gmc-uk.org)
General Medical Council
We work with doctors, patients, and other stakeholders to support good,
safe patient care across the UK. We set the standards doctors and those
who train them need to meet, and help them achieve them. If there are
concerns these standards may not be met or that public confidence in
doctors may be at risk, we can investigate, and take action if needed.
This email may contain privileged or confidential information which should
only be used for the purpose for which it has been sent.
If you are not the addressee or have received this email in error, please
do not read, print, re-transmit, store or act in reliance on it or any
attachments. Please email the sender and then immediately delete it.
The General Medical Council is a charity registered in England and Wales
(1089278) and in Scotland (SC037750)
You are welcome to contact us in Welsh. We will respond in Welsh, without
this causing additional delay.
_________________________________________________________________
Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol
Rydym yn gweithio gyda meddygon, cleifion a rhanddeiliaid eraill i
gynorthwyo gofal da a diogel i gleifion ar draws y DU. Rydym yn gosod y
safonau y bydd angen i feddygon a’r rhai sy’n eu hyfforddi eu bodloni, ac
yn eu helpu i’w cyflawni. Os bydd pryderon efallai na fydd y safonau hyn
yn cael eu cyflawni neu y gallai hyder y cyhoedd mewn meddygon fod mewn
perygl, gallwn ymchwilio, a gweithredu os oes angen.
Efallai bod y neges e-bost hon yn cynnwys gwybodaeth freiniol neu
gyfrinachol, y dylid ei defnyddio at y diben y’i hanfonwyd yn unig.
Os nad chi yw’r derbynnydd neu os ydych chi wedi cael yr e-bost hwn mewn
camgymeriad, peidiwch â’i ddarllen, argraffu, ail-anfon, storio na
gweithredu mewn ffordd sy’n dibynnu arni neu unrhyw atodiadau os gwelwch
yn dda. Dylech anfon e-bost at yr anfonwr ac yna, ei ddileu ar unwaith.
Mae’r Cyngor Meddygol Cyffredinol yn elusen gofrestredig yng Nghymru a
Lloegr (1089278) ac yn Yr Alban (SC037750)
Mae croeso i chi gysylltu â ni yn Gymraeg. Byddwn yn ymateb yn Gymraeg,
heb i hyn achosi oedi ychwanegol.
References
Visible links
1. https://www.gmc-uk.org/
Dear Susan Sollazzi,
Your information request – IR1-4515514929
Thank you for your Email below dated 22^nd 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 Ms Sollazzi,
Your information request – IR1-4515514929
Thank you for your email dated 22 July 2024 which I have considered under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).
I have answered your questions as below:
1. What is the intended difference in terms of scope between a doctor and
a PA?
I have included a link to our website which provides information on this:
[1]An update preparing for regulation of physician associates and
anaesthesia associates - GMC (gmc-uk.org).
2. Does the GMC anticipate a drop in applications to study medicine and
in doctors registering with the GMC?
I’ve interpreted your question as meaning whether the GMC anticipates a
drop in future applications to study medicine and doctors registering with
the GMC because of our future regulation of PAs and AAs. We don’t hold any
recorded information for the purposes of your request.
3. What research does GMC rely on in promoting the use of lesser
qualified PAs in the role doctors?
We don’t promote the use of PAs in the role of doctors, so we do not hold
any research for the purposes of your request.
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 3:01 PM
To: Susan Sollazzi <[FOI #1149176 email]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Difference between doctors
and physician associates (PAs)
Dear Susan Sollazzi,
Your information request – IR1-4515514929
Thank you for your Email below dated 22^nd 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
We work to defend the right to FOI for everyone
Help us protect your right to hold public authorities to account. Donate and support our work.
Donate Now