I'm on the FPA or RCoA voluntary register

When do I need to apply?

You should register with us when regulation starts. There will be a transition period to register with us, but we encourage you to apply as soon as you’re able. Your employer might require you to register immediately after regulation begins.

How do I apply?

If you are on the voluntary registers held by the Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) or the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA), you will be invited to apply via a streamlined process.

Your form will be pre-populated with verified information about your qualification. For physician associates (PAs) only, this will include your PA national exam (PANE) pass.

What evidence do I need to provide to apply for registration?

To join our register, you’ll need to show that:

• you have the knowledge and skills to work safely as a PA or anaesthesia associate (AA) in the UK
• there are no outstanding concerns about your fitness to practise

To do this, we’ll need to see:

Employer and regulator references

An employer reference from your most recent PA or AA role. If you’ve registered with another healthcare regulator in the UK or overseas within the last five years, we’ll also ask for evidence of your good standing with them.

If you are a US-qualified PA on the UK voluntary register, we may ask you to submit evidence of good standing from your US regulator.

Please don’t gather references until we ask you. We’ll send you specific forms to fill in. These need to be signed and dated no earlier than three months before you apply for registration.

Employment history

Your employment history over the last five years. If you’ve had long breaks in your practice, you may be asked for extra evidence to explain the gaps.

Fitness to practise declaration

This is to assure us that there are no ongoing or previous concerns about your performance, professionalism or behaviour. It's also an opportunity to share any health concerns which may impact on your ability to work safely. If you need to declare a concern, this doesn’t mean you can’t join the register. We’ll ask for extra information to help us make the appropriate decision about your registration.

Do I need to recertify or have appraisals?

Until regulation starts, you should follow the requirements of your employer. For PAs, this includes guidance issued by the FPA.

If you're on the PA voluntary register, you should maintain your membership.

Once you're registered with us, you’ll be expected to maintain your skills and fitness to practise as a PA or AA. We're currently reviewing our approach to revalidation. We'll publish more information on this closer to the start of regulation.