Physician associates should be banned from giving diagnoses to “improve patient safety”, the British Medical Association has said.
In new guidance published on Thursday, the union said medical associate professions (MAPs) must not be responsible for first assessing or diagnosing patients, and must be closely supervised when tending to those who have already seen a doctor.
The British Medical Association (BMA) added that MAPs, a category that includes physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs), should also refrain from telling patients “I am one of the medical team”, without stating their actual job title.
MAPs were introduced by the NHS in 2003 to support doctors, but have been criticised for high-profile mistakes.
In 2022, actress Emily Chesterton died from a blood clot after being misdiagnosed twice. She believed she had been seen by a GP, but instead was assessed on both occasions by a PA.
Professor Phil Banfield, BMA chair of counsel, said the union hopes the document will “improve patient safety”.
The BMA’s Faculty of Physician Associates estimated that in 2021 there were around 3,000 qualified PAs working in the UK and 300 AAs in the NHS.
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A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said in response: “Physician associates have worked in the NHS for over two decades.
“They have been found to be safe, positively contributing to medical and surgical teams, and patient experience, while supporting the clinical teams’ workload – which is why we expanded the role of PAs in the NHS’s Long-Term Workforce Plan.
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“The legislation regulating both PAs and anaesthesia associates has now been approved by parliament and will be in place by the end of 2024.
“It will set standards of practice, ensuring that PAs meet the standards that we expect of all regulated professionals, with the General Medical Council operating strict fitness-to-practice procedures and setting education and training expectations.”
“I’m never drinking tap water again,” Kayley Lewis says.
“My symptoms have made me lose a stone in two weeks.”
Ms Lewis and her two children have been suffering from diarrhoea, vomiting and stomach cramps for over a fortnight – since South West Water found small traces of the parasite cryptosporidium in the Hillhead reservoir.
“I can’t trust them [South West Water] again.
“I might start using tap water for dishes… but definitely never to drink. Ever.
“I’ve been completely put off now… especially because of how poorly it makes you feel.
“I just don’t think I could ever try and risk going back to that.”
At least 46 people are confirmed to have the disease, while as many as 70 other cases of diarrhoea and vomiting are also under investigation, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has said.
South West Water (SWW) has repeatedly apologised – telling Sky News today that they are working “around the clock” to get all households back to using safe water again.
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This could be as early as this Wednesday, drought and resilience director at SWW David Harris told me.
“We’re looking at somewhere between mid to late next week before we’ll be in a position to be able to responsibly lift that boil water notice.”
So far, 14,500 households in the Alston supply area can drink their tap water without boiling it first – as advised by SWW.
However, some 2,500 homes in Hillhead, upper parts of Brixham and Kingswear have been told to continue boiling – and cooling – their water supplies before drinking it.
Steve Price, who runs the Station Guest House B&B near Brixham, said he lost a couple of thousand pounds in bookings due to – understandably – paranoid customers.
“Losses we anticipate are roughly around £2000 from people that have cancelled and directly stated that the cancellation was due to the water situation.
“So we would anticipate that at the bare minimum as compensation.”
At every step through the Infected Blood Inquiry, he has been in his family’s hearts and minds.
Just like every other bereaved family carrying the memories of loved ones throughout their long fight for justice.
“The way I feel… I don’t feel like my brother can rest until we all rest,” Peter Lloyd’s sister Sarah told Sky News.
Mr Lloyd was the second of seven siblings.
He joined the RAF and loved serving his country. He became a chief technician and was posted to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.
However, it was a car crash in the UK in July 1985 that caused him to suffer horrendous injuries.
He had a blood transfusion in hospital that he and his family believed had saved his life. That may have been true, but it also, years later, led to his death.
He was only told more than a decade after the transfusion that he’d received contaminated blood. He was diagnosed with hepatitis C shortly after.
Mr Lloyd later developed bowel and liver cancer and died aged 55 in 2008.
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‘It tears your life apart’
His family’s mission since then has been to help ensure the whole scandal of contaminated blood transfusions is fully understood.
His sister Sarah Martin, 66, told Sky News that compensation should be paid, but that it can’t put right the wrongs: “I’d rather have my brother, I’d rather not have any money.
“He’s gone – they have taken him through reckless blood transfusions.
“It’s just heartbreaking it tears your life apart.”
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One of the boys, aged 13, was rescued from the river and taken to hospital, where he remains “in a critical condition”, Northumbria Police said in a statement on Sunday morning.
A huge search, which involved the police, ambulance, fire and mountain rescue services, then continued as crews raced to find the second boy.
“Sadly, the 14-year-old’s body was later found in the water and he was pronounced dead at the scene,” police said.
Chief Superintendent Helena Barron, of Northumbria Police, said it was an “absolutely tragic incident”.
She added: “Our thoughts are with the families of both boys at this difficult time as we continue to support them.
“A number of agencies were involved in the incident and their support was hugely appreciated.
“It is with great sadness that we could not provide a more positive update.”
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Police said the parents of both boys are being supported by specially-trained officers.