Regulation of physician associates and anaesthesia associates has begun with the GMC sending invitations that they join the professional register.
The General Medical Council (GMC) has begun to write to physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) inviting them to join the professional register.
As reported last week, the government requested that the two professional groups be regulated in July 2019 and the GMC officially became the regulator for both professions on 11 December.
“This is a landmark moment in regulation and will help enhance patient safety. As physician associates and anaesthesia associates join the register, and they become regulated professions, it will increase people’s confidence in the care they receive,” said GMC chief executive Charlie Massey.
All PAs and AAs on existing voluntary registers should have received invitations by the end of January.
To join the register of PAs and AAs, individuals will need to complete an application and provide evidence, including their qualifications and, where relevant, work history and references, to show they meet the GMC’s standards.
Once registered, members of the public will be able to search for PAs and AAs on the GMC’s online registers. PAs and AAs will each have a unique reference number, prefixed by the letter A.
“Employers now have a responsibility to ensure the individuals working in these roles can do so in safe and collegiate environments, in which good patient care can continue to be delivered,” said Massey.
From December next year, it will be an offence to practise as a PA or AA in the UK without GMC registration.
