The physician associate will see you now - new role to assist patients in primary care

The physician associate will see you now - new role to assist patients in primary care By 2020 there could be as many as 1,000 physician associates working in primary care, but regulation of the profession is seen as crucial in the development of this new role

Chris Deane’s day starts like any other at the busy Warwickshire practice where he works. First he triages calls from patients, decides those who will need a home visit later in the day, and books others into free slots in his morning or afternoon surgeries.

Like his GP colleagues, he deals with around 60 patients a day, but unlike them he is not a family doctor. Instead, Deane is a qualified physician associate – a new breed of healthcare professional taking pressure off hard-pressed doctors and providing patients, especially those with long-term conditions, the continuity of care they need. Continue reading... The Guardian