Findings of a government review into the role of Physician Associates have recently been presented by Professor Gillian Leng, President of the Royal Society of Medicine.

Physician Associates are not qualified doctors; they are postgraduate students that undertake two years of further training. They are assigned supervisors and are placed within GP surgeries and hospitals. The intention behind Physician Associates was to give doctors more time to diagnose and treat patients by delegating some tasks to them that do not require full medical training. It is estimated there are around 3,500 working within the NHS.

A review of the role of Physician Associates was ordered by Wes Streeting, Health Secretary, following the deaths of six patients due to misdiagnoses by Physician Associates.

One of these patients was Emily Chesterton, a young woman who passed away due to an undiagnosed pulmonary embolism. Emily, from Salford, had been unaware that she was seeing a Physician Associate, rather than a GP, when reporting pain in her calf, which had become hard. It transpired that this was due to a blood clot in the leg but rather than arranging any investigations, Emily was simply told to take paracetamol. On Emily’s condition worsening and her developing a pulmonary embolism, whereby she was having difficulty walking and was breathless and lightheaded, the Physician Associate diagnosed her with a calf sprain, long Covid and anxiety, without carrying out an examination. It was subsequently concluded by a Coroner that Emily should have been immediately referred to the hospital and, if she had been seen, it was likely that she would have survived.

The Leng Review recommended multiple changes to the role, which have been adopted notably:

• Physician Associates should not diagnose patients that have not already attended an appointment with a qualified doctor.
• They should be renamed ‘Physicians Assistants’, and have their own identifiable and separate uniform, including lanyards and badges, to distinguish them from doctors.
• They should work in a hospital for a minimum of two years before they are allowed to work in GP surgeries or mental health trusts.
• They should be supervised by a specific doctor, and that doctor should be named and identifiable.

Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, commented that, “Physician Assistants, as they will now be known, will continue to play an important role in the NHS. They should assist doctors but they should never be used to replace doctors.”

It is hoped that these changes will provide more clarity on the role of Physicians Associates and will prevent further unnecessary deaths like that of Emily Chesterton’s.

If yourself or a loved one has recently seen a Physician Associate and feel that your treatment has led to a misdiagnosis, unnecessary or a delay in treatment, please contact our experienced clinical negligence team on 01482 323697.