Physician associates should be called ‘assistants’ to avoid confusion, MSPs told

Physician associates should instead be referred to as “physician assistants” to prevent patient confusion about the nature of their role, a union leader has said.

The chairman of BMA Scotland voiced concern about the use of physician associates (PAs) in Scottish health boards, saying they have less training than GPs.

Physician associates or anaesthesia associates (AAs) are healthcare professionals who typically have two years of postgraduate training, compared to doctors who have trained for a total of 10 years.

Dr Iain Kennedy spoke to Holyrood’s Health Committee on Tuesday, and said particular concern had been sparked by an NHS Highland job advert which suggested a PA may be supervising doctors.

However he said he had received assurances from the health board that this was an error.

Dr Kennedy said: “The BMA in Scotland is concerned about physician associates and anaesthesia associates.

“We’ve made representation to the Cabinet Secretary on that.

“We would prefer if they were called assistants and not associates because they’re not of the profession, they’re not doctors, and we know that patients are confused and they think they’re seeing doctors.”

The UK Government is bringing in legislation to ensure PAs and AAs are regulated by the General Medical Council by the end of 2024.

A recent survey of doctors around the UK found 87% believe the way PAs and AAs work in the NHS is “always or sometimes a risk to patient safety”.

The committee also discussed challenges around healthcare in rural settings.

Dr Kennedy said some doctors have experienced “geographic narcissism”, also known as “urbansplaining”.

Explaining these terms to the MSPs, he said: “It’s that situation where professionals – not just healthcare professionals – when they’re speaking to rural professionals say ‘oh, when are you coming back to the city?’

“As if going out to a rural area is something you would do on a temporary basis.

“Certainly something I’ve been aware of is people who have never worked in rural areas telling those of us who do work in rural areas how it should be done.”