Physician Associates is an new Additional Role the NHS has implemented into GP practices. Some practices across Rushcliffe have a physician associate.

Physician Associates (PAs) are healthcare professionals with a generalist medical education who work alongside doctors to provide medical care as part of the multidisciplinary team. The first PAs were formally introduced in the UK in 2003! 

PAs have undertaken a focused 2-year postgraduate degree in physician associate studies which is a mixture of medical teaching and clinical placement. This is after they have already completed a 3-to-4-year undergraduate degree in a health or life science.   

PAs generally work alongside and under the close supervision of a doctor. They are trained to work within a defined scope of practice which generally includes taking medical histories from patients, carrying out physical examinations & formulating differential diagnoses and management plans.

PAs currently can’t prescribe therefore prescriptions usually require a discussion with their supervising doctor