Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have for raising public awareness of the use of medical associate professions in the NHS.

The Department is committed to ensuring that the public are aware of the role of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) in the National Health Service. The introduction of regulation by the General Medical Council will also provide a standardised framework of governance and assurance for the clinical practice and professional conduct of PAs and AAs and make it easier for employers, patients, and the public to understand the relationship between this role and that of doctors. In implementing the NHS Long Term Workforce Plan, NHS England is working with the relevant professional colleges and regulators, to ensure the roles are expanded safely and effectively.

NHS England has produced patient-facing materials that have been shared widely with general practices to support patient awareness and understanding of the PA role. NHS England has also utilised media assets in a large-scale social media campaign targeted at the public to raise awareness and understanding of the AA role. These materials along with other commissioned infographic material also forms part of a longer-term communications and engagement strategy with the objective of raising public awareness of the use of medical associate professions.