Patient safety will be jeopardized by “disturbing and unsafe” plans to regulate medical staff, frontline doctors say.
The UK Doctors’ Association said it was “deeply concerned” about a forthcoming regulatory change that would bring PAs and anesthetists (AAs) under the jurisdiction of the General Medical Council. The progressive lobby group said it had some concerns about the change, which it said “blurs the line” between going to the doctor and going to the doctor.
The issue has come into the spotlight following the publication of the government’s long-term strategy for NHS England, which calls for a significant increase in staff numbers amid record staffing shortages.
PA training typically lasts two years, compared to five years of medical training and two years of NHS medical training. The NHS has used PAs since 2003 to carry out therapeutic procedures such as cannula insertion and collecting and interpreting blood tests. However, in recent months there have been concerns that they are taking on more complex tasks than necessary.
Emily Chesterton, the 30-year-old actress, died last year after a physician at her primary care office diagnosed not a blood clot but a sprain. Her parents say she had no idea she didn’t see a doctor.
According to DAUK, PAs are currently managed by the Royal College of Physicians through a voluntary register and transferred to the GMC’s statutory register without being subject to the same strict controls.
In an open letter to GMC boss Charlie Massey, the DAUK chief wrote: “The GMC’s lack of clearly defined practice for PAs and AA is alarming.” and healthcare providers and compromise patient safety.”
DAUK said that as the GMC’s regulation of PAs progresses, PAs should be given different GMC numbers to distinguish them from doctors. In addition, the GMC must establish a clearly defined scope of work for employees and eliminate the possibility of defining this scope locally.
said DAUK co-chairman Dr. Matt Neal I: “Physicians fear that patients will see PAs in increasingly complex roles beyond their intended purpose, and that they will not have sufficient training and safety precautions to do so safely, such as when treating complications.” GPs are now fully aware of the risks they face when using supervised PA. It also deprives doctors of training opportunities, making it difficult for new doctors to become specialists.
“This is part of an initiative by the Government and NHS England to blur the lines between visiting a doctor and attending a consultation. Each step seems intentional to subtly convince people that they should see a doctor when they don’t. If a non-doctor belongs to the same organization as a doctor, has a title that reflects the word “doctor”, and has the same credentials as a doctor, you can understand why it might be confusing for people as to who they are . see. »
In July 2019, the Department of Health and Social Care, with the support of the four UK governments, called on the GMC to regulate both PA and AA. The British Medical Association has called for these roles to be renamed “physician assistant” and “anesthetist assistant” to “better reflect the role of these specialists”.
A GMC spokesman said: “We are pleased to support the development of regulations for these valuable professionals and recognize the important role they can play among healthcare professionals.” systems while ensuring patient safety.
“New legislation is needed before PA and AA regulation can begin, and the timing of this depends on the Department of Health and Human Services. If the DHSC passes legislation before the end of 2023, we will discuss the practice rules that would fall under the legislation early next year.
“We have already done a lot of work to prepare for the regulations. In particular, we have worked to develop policies and processes to support the oversight of PA and AA training, conducting pre-registration assessments and examining the standards they must meet, as well as the actions we take thereafter. Any serious violation of these standards.”
Source: I News
I’m Raymond Molina, a professional writer and journalist with over 5 years of experience in the media industry. I currently work for 24 News Reporters, where I write for the health section of their news website. In my role, I am responsible for researching and writing stories on current health trends and issues. My articles are often seen as thought-provoking pieces that provide valuable insight into the state of society’s wellbeing.