Welsh Government accepts review recommendations on Physician Associates

The Welsh Government has confirmed it will accept in principle all the recommendations of the Leng Review, which examined the role of physician associates and anaesthesia associates in the NHS.

Health and Social Care Secretary Jeremy Miles said today, (3 September) that Wales would now begin work on implementing the recommendations, stressing that the changes were essential for public confidence and clarity around the expanding roles.

The review was commissioned last year by the UK Secretary of State for Health and Social Care after growing concerns about the use of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) in multidisciplinary teams.

Training

While supporters have argued the roles help plug workforce shortages, critics – including some doctors’ groups – have raised concerns about training levels, oversight and whether patients fully understand who is delivering their care.

The review, led by Professor Ian Leng, was published in July and detailed recommendations designed to clarify professional responsibilities, strengthen supervision, and improve patient awareness.

Although the recommendations applied to England only, the report emphasised the need for a UK-wide approach to ensure consistency across the health service.

Implementation

Mr Miles said an implementation group will now be established to assess the impact of the recommendations on the Welsh NHS and to shape how they are adopted. Further engagement with health service staff and patients is planned as part of the process.

“The Welsh Government is committed to working collaboratively to ensure the review’s recommendations are implemented in a way that gives both staff and patients confidence,” he said. “We are grateful to Professor Leng and his team, and to everyone who contributed evidence during the process.”

Wales’ Chief Medical Officer and Deputy Chief Medical Officer have written to NHS employers encouraging a change in job title to “physician assistants” and “physician assistants in anaesthesia.” However, it will be for the UK Government to make these title changes legally binding.

PAs have been working in Wales since 2015 and now there are approximately 220 working across primary and secondary care. There are no official statistics for the number of practising anaesthesia associates, but it is thought to be in significantly smaller.