The Academy of Physician Associates, UK has finally replaced the Faculty of Physician Associates, UK and has the responsibility of a representative professional body for all Physician Associates in the United Kingdom.
The Academy has responded to the interim Guidelines on Physician Associates supervision, job role and practice in the United Kingdom which neglected the stakeholder inputs of Physician Associates to merit medical doctors.
Academy of Physician Associates: Response to the RCP Interim Guidance Documents“
“As the era of the Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) draws to a close, it falls upon the Academy of Physician Associates (APA) to respond on behalf of the profession to three documents issued this week by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in relation to supervision and employment of PAs.
It is important to first contextualise these documents. Last year, the FPA Executive Committee proposed alongside the RCP that it should produce a document to provide guidance to PAs and their supervisors regarding best practice. Progress was steady with regular input and feedback from a variety of stakeholders, including PA representative groups.
Following the RCP EGM vote in March 2024, the PA Oversight Group (PAOG) was established, and the development of guidance was brought under their remit. Under the oversight of the PAOG, a new writing group was formed with members that represented varying views within the RCP. Physician Associate representatives were invited to and attended meetings where the guidance was discussed and provided feedback at all available opportunities. PA views, however, are not reflected in the final version of these documents.
The APA do not endorse the documents published by the RCP and, when compared to our education and training, they do not fully reflect and encapsulate the true value of the role. We agree that there is a definite need for clear guidance to support PAs and their employers, as well as to reassure patients and the public. We are clear that these documents released reflect the opinions of a particular group of medical resident doctors and consultant physicians, and do not represent the views of Physician Associates. We believe that these documents risk misrepresenting the PA profession and may inadvertently create barriers to effective collaboration within healthcare teams. Any further guidance on the supervision and employment of PAs should have a commitment to meaningful PA representation at all stages.
Patient safety is at the forefront of all our minds, and we look forward to the Leng Review, where the APA will be represented, and we hope the process will produce guidance that is not only safe and effective for patient care but also acknowledges the full value of a PA.”
