Setting a national scope of practice for Physician Associates and Anaesthesia Associates (PAs and AAs) is the aim of our legal action. Alongside that we are calling for standard levels of supervision and processes for patients to give consent for treatment by an Associate.

Many of the Royal Medical Colleges have called for very similar things. In recent months we have seen statements from them such as:-

• The scope of practice of PAs in the EM workforce must be defined, safe and effective (RCEM)
• There is an urgent need to define a national scope of practice (RCS)
• We understand the need to have a scope of practice for AAs beyond the point of qualification and the College is in the process of developing one (RCoA)
• The role of PAs should be clearly defined, with clear scope and supervision arrangements (RCPsych)

Thinking that we were on the same page as the Royal Colleges we wrote to the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) offering to hold a briefing for the Presidents on our legal case. But we received this reply.

We were astonished that the Royal Colleges, who we thought would at least want to ponder over the legal arguments, would send such a terse and negative reply. What possible reason could there be for such a response?

Since then, our case has moved forwards. The GMC has replied to our Letter Before Action, and our barrister tells us their reply is weak. The legal dispute hinges around one issue. Section 3 of the AAPAO requires the GMC to set standards for Associates. We think that  places a duty on them to set ‘safe and lawful practice measures’. 

With that in mind we have written again, this time to each of the College Presidents, offering to speak to them over the stance we are taking.

Every Royal College (and Faculty) has a Council or Board responsible for setting policies, and we would encourage Members and Fellows to contact theirs to highlight our case, to consider our shared perspective on scope, and to enquire as to whether they feel it would be useful to liaise with us in any way.

For a College to have information suggesting that there might be a legal approach to getting what they claim to want, and yet fail to even study that legal approach, may in retrospect be seen as a mistake.

The current situation, where Royal Medical Colleges issue guidance on Associate practice that is brazenly and openly ignored, makes absolutely no sense to anyone.

Redacted version of our letter

We are urgently in need of funds towards our legal case, and would appreciate any donations.