Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the announcement that they will accept all recommendations of an independent review into physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) on 16 July, what additional support and training they will provide to existing PAs and AAs to ensure that they can continue to care for patients while addressing concerns about patient safety.

NHS England has written to National Health Service trusts, integrated care boards, and primary care networks to reiterate their responsibilities to their staff as employers, including providing pastoral support where required. Importantly, NHS England has also written directly to staff most affected by the recommendations, in the Response to Recommendations from the Independent Review of Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates (the Leng Review), available on the NHS.UK website, setting out where they can find support if required.

Implementing the recommendations will require organisations to work together and take action. Some actions will be implemented immediately, whilst others will require wider input, with benefits being fully realised over time. The Department and NHS England will work to ensure that both patient and staff needs are met throughout this process. We will also work collaboratively with other key partners to set out a clear implementation plan for making the required changes, in advance of publishing a fuller response.