Issue - meetings

The Policy and Performance Board received a presentation from Simon Constable, Medical Director, Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, on the background to the development and use of Physician Associates within the Health Service.  He was accompanied by 4 Student Physician Associates and one Medical Education Administrator from Warrington and Halton Hospitals Foundation Trust (WHHFT).

It was explained that Physician Associates (PAs) were typically life science graduates (with a pre-clinical degree) who moved on and did a two year postgraduate diploma (clinical) course and took a national examination.  It was noted that due to a changing health service (eg numbers of doctors, skill mix, working hours and 7 day service provision) there had been a national increase in the number of universities offering PA courses and most recently this included Manchester and Liverpool. 

The report discussed the role of the Faculty of Physicians Associates (FPA) and the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) in the development of the PA workforce.

Following the presentation and Members’ queries, the following additional information was provided:

·       PAs were not taking the place of doctors; they were working alongside them adding to a mix of professionals within the service;

·       As well as specialists the National Health Service needed generalists who were qualified to do a variety of things;

·       Members’ concerns regarding the shortage of doctors was understood; however it was important to note that these professionals were trained with the same rigour as other health professionals;

·       When on duty, PA’s worked under the direct supervision of doctors;

·       Runcorn had one of the highest populations of over 65’s in the Country and this was expanding;

·       Older people benefitted from the type of care offered by generalists as often, depending on the medical complaint, they did not need to see a doctor.

RESOLVED: That the Board notes the report and receive the presentation.