GPs in the UK told to triage patients before they are seen by ‘cheap medical substitutes’
'There's been no proper guidance' on physician associates, says Royal College of GPs chair Professor Kamila Hawthorne.
GPs in the UK have been told to not allow physician associates to see any patients unless they’ve been triaged by a doctor because of their inadequate training.
Employment of physician associates (PAs) across the NHS has focused on general practice, with more than 3000 working across the country.
However, given limited training they have remained controversial, with critics describing them as little more than a cheap and potentially dangerous substitution for doctors.
The Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) has now issued new guidance in an attempt to set distinct limits to their practice scope.
