About this consultation
New legislation allowing us to regulate physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs), known as the Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order (AAPAO) passed through the UK and Scottish Parliaments.
Regulation will help to assure patients, colleagues and employers that PAs and AAs are safe to practise and can be held to account if serious concerns are raised.
The next step in the process towards regulation of PAs and AAs is for us to seek views on the rules, guidance and standards that will govern how we implement the new legislation and fulfil our legal obligations to regulate these professions.
This consultation aims to seek these views. It covers matters relating to education, registration, concerns and the fees framework for PAs and AAs, as well as draft principles that will inform the content of fitness to practise decision-making guidance that will apply to doctors as well as to PAs and AAs from December 2024.
In each of these areas, we set out how we propose to operate the regulatory processes for which we are responsible.
We’re asking if these rules, standards and guidance are clear, fair and proportionate.
More information
Will the rules, standards and guidance for PAs and AAs apply to doctors as well?
The new rules will initially apply only to PAs and AAs, but they are expected to be the basis for future changes to the rules governing our regulation of doctors. This will only happen following a further consultation, and will make sure that, in future, we have a consistent approach to the way we regulate doctors, PAs and AAs.
The only exception to this regards proposed changes to the principles that will inform the content of fitness to practise decision-making guidance from December 2024. Those principles will inform guidance regarding decisions on the fitness to practise of doctors as well as PAs and AAs, so we particularly encourage doctors to answer the section of the consultation focusing on this topic.
Is this consultation about who should regulate PAs and AAs?
No. That decision was made in 2017 following a public consultation by the Department of Health and Social Care. The UK Government asked us to regulate these professions in 2019. Legislation was passed by the UK and Scottish Parliaments which legally requires us to regulate PAs and AAs from December 2024. This consultation is asking for comments on the rules, guidance and standards that set out how we will implement this new legislation. It is not about whether who should regulate these professions, or whether these professions should be regulated by another organisation.
Does this consultation ask about the roles of PAs and AAs?
No. This consultation is only about how we will regulate PAs and AAs. It is not about the existence of the roles as such, or their deployment as part of the UK’s healthcare workforce.
Does this consultation ask about the titles of PAs and AAs?
No. The titles of physician associate and anaesthesia associate were set out by the UK Government in the Anaesthesia Associates and Physician Associates Order. As this order has now passed into law these are now protected titles.
