Question to the Wales Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, whether he has had recent discussions with representatives of the Welsh Government on the levels of public awareness of (a) the role and (b) competencies of physician associates in the NHS in Wales.

I have regular discussions with Welsh Government Ministers on a wide range of issues. As a devolved matter, it is for the Welsh Government to consider the operational deployment of the role of physician associates (PAs) within the NHS workforce in Wales.

The UK Government greatly values the work of physician associates (PAs) and is introducing regulation as part of our commitment to the roles and to their place in the multi-disciplinary workforce.

The regulation of PAs which is a reserved matter has been subject to extensive public consultation over several years. Throughout the project, UK Government officials have engaged thoroughly with stakeholders including regulators, the devolved administrations, the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, representative bodies and service users in developing the policy behind this legislation. This engagement has been crucial in shaping both UK Government policy intention and the resultant legislation, to ensure that it remains a practical piece of legislation for the benefit of patient safety and registrants.

Regulation will give the GMC responsibility and oversight of PAs, allowing it to take a holistic approach to education, training, and standards. Once regulation commences, GMC guidance will apply to PAs.