Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether his Department and the General Medical Council have reached an agreement on the funding arrangements for the initial costs associated with the regulation of physician associates.
On 7 February 2019 the Government published its response to the consultation on the Regulation of Medical Associate Professions in the United Kingdom, confirming its decision to introduce statutory regulation for physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs), formerly known as physicians’ assistants (anaesthesia).
On 18 July 2019, the Government announced that it would be asking the General Medical Council (GMC) to take forward the regulation of these roles.
The Government is now working with the GMC and stakeholders to develop legislation to bring PAs and AAs into regulation. Funding has been agreed with the GMC to carry out development work.
We intend to consult on draft legislation later this year.