Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he plans to (a) review and (b) issue guidance on (i) pay levels and (ii) other employment terms for (A) physician associates, (B) anaesthesia associates and (C) doctors in training.

Physician associates (PAs), anaesthesia associates (AAs) and doctors in training are employed under different contractual arrangements.

PAs and AAs are employed on the Agenda for Change (AfC) contract. Levels of pay for AfC staff are set through the annual NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) process. The NHS Staff Council has overall responsibility for maintaining the terms and conditions of employment for AfC staff.

However, in 2023/24, the council accepted a pay deal through direct negotiations with the Government, and the NHS PRB was stood down from providing recommendations. The NHS PRB will provide pay recommendations for AfC staff in 2024/25.

Doctors in training are employed on a separate contract. As part of the latest round of talks with the British Medical Association junior doctors committee in November 2023, we explored proposals on pay scale reform and other non-pay measures. These talks broke down in December 2023. The Review Body on Doctors' and Dentists' Remuneration will provide pay recommendations for this group for 2024/25.

There are no current plans to issue guidance on the above points.