Today sees the launch of the Faculty of Physician Associates, a Faculty of the Royal College of Physicians. The UK Association of Physician Associates (UKAPA), the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and Health Education England (HEE), in conjunction with other medical royal colleges, have been working together over the past 2 years to set up the faculty. It is hoped that the establishment of the faculty at the RCP will further strengthen and develop the close working relationship between doctors in many specialties and physician associates.
A physician associate (PA) is a dependent healthcare professional who has been trained in the medical model and works under the supervision of a doctor or surgeon. PAs obtain medical histories, conduct comprehensive physical exams, request and interpret tests, diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries, and can give preventive health advice to patients. PAs have a set national curriculum which sets standards and all PAs sit a national examination prior to qualification. PAs also have to retake their national examinations every 6 years to ensure they remain at a high standard.
Becoming a physician associate is increasingly popular as a career choice in the NHS, with around 230 physician associates currently practising in the UK, and six universities running physician associate courses nationally.
As part of the establishment of the faculty, work is under way to enhance education, training and CPD for physician associates. The faculty will also be responsible for organising certification and recertification examinations for PAs and accrediting university programmes, all in line with the DH Competence and Curriculum Framework for Physician Assistants (the former name for physician associates).
Faculty members will have access to the membership benefits of the Royal College of Physicians including publications, access to library resources and discounts on educational courses and events.
RCP president Professor Jane Dacre said:
I’m delighted that we are launching the faculty, which will enable closer relationships between physicians and physician associates, and a greater understanding of their separate roles. We will also be able to support the professional development of physician associates by providing access to our educational and professional development resources, and our publications.
Teresa Dowsing, president of UKAPA said:
UKAPA and its members are delighted at the establishment of the new faculty at the RCP. 2015 is our 10-year anniversary and marks the end of an era and the start of a new future. It is a very exciting time where we can look back with a sense of achievement and look forward to the next stage of the journey of the PA profession in the UK.
Professor Liz Hughes, director of education and quality (London and South East) at Health Education England said:
This is an exciting time for physician associates as their role becomes firmly established in the healthcare team. The faculty will form a focal point for their development, continuing to raise awareness of the valuable role that they can play in delivering high-quality patient care both in acute and primary care settings.
Professor David Black, FPA shadow board chair, said:
The RCP’s Future Hospital report set out the huge challenge we face in delivering personalised, patient-focused care. The recent GMC survey of all doctors in training reflected that pressure and the difficulty in providing high-quality training in such a pressurised environment. I believe that the rapid supportive development of physician associates will over the next 5 years be a fundamental ‘game changer’, both in terms of continuity of patient care as part of the consultant or GP-led team, and crucially allowing trainee doctors the time they should have to develop broader skills in outpatients, operating theatres and the community.
For further information, please contact Linda Cuthbertson, head of PR, on +44 (0)203 075 1254 / 0774 877 7919, or email Linda.Cuthbertson@rcplondon.ac.uk
- During the past 2 months physician associates have been offered the opportunity to transfer from the UK Association of Physician Associates (UKAPA) to the new faculty, and from July UKAPA will cease to exist as a separate entity.
- For more information about physician associates, please visit the faculty website.