PAs working under reduced scopes of practice, survey suggests

Credit: Ellie Philpotts

By Emma Wilkinson

Physician associates are seeing fewer patients and working under restricted scopes of practice since the Leng review was published, a survey has suggested.

Of almost 500 PAs responding to a United Medical Associate Professionals (UMAPs) online questionnaire, 76% said their scope of practice had been reduced since the Leng review announced its findings last summer.

The survey done in December and January also found that the number of PAs averaging more than 11 patient interactions (including consultations, follow-ups, results, and referrals) per shift has dropped while the number of those averaging only one to five interactions had more than quadrupled.

Professor Gillian Leng recommended that PAs should not be caring for untriaged patients.

The review into the safety and effectiveness of PA and anaesthesia associate roles, which was accepted in full by the government, also acknowledged that PAs have been used as a substitute for doctors and used to “fill gaps in medical rotas”.