Doctors’ staff are making the job harder, not easier, say thousands of NHS medics
A majority of doctors believe that doctors in hospitals and GP practices are increasing the workload of doctors and not reducing it as intended, a survey has found.
Just over half of the 18,000 doctors surveyed by the British Medical Association (BMA) said working with these staff increased the amount of work they had to do rather than freeing up their time.
Physician colleagues They can take medical histories, perform physical examinations and can help determine what treatment patients receive, but unlike physicians, they do not have a medical degree.
Their growing presence in the NHS across Britain has sharply divided the medical profession. Some doctors see them as useful, but others fear that their lack of in-depth knowledge could lead to mistakes being made in treatment and patients being misled into thinking they are doctors.
In the BMA investigation55% of doctors said the introduction of junior doctors and their anesthesia equivalents had increased their workload “a little” (33.6%) or “a lot” (21.8%). Only 21% said their workload had become lighter.
Professor Philip Banfield, chairman of the BMA council, said: “NHS England tells us that ‘physician associates support doctors in the diagnosis and treatment of patients’, supposedly freeing up doctors to deliver the high-quality care that only they can offer.
“But the reality turns out to be exactly the opposite. Too many physicians tell us that supervising PAs actually takes up their time and energy.”
A junior doctor in Scotland who took part in the study said PAs often asked doctors to prescribe medicines and order scans for patients. “You end up spending a lot of time making sure these requests are appropriate. This is an inefficient and dangerous way of working. It increases the workload of doctors.”
A GP in England said they have “the added burden of supervising associated staff at a time when the workload for GPs is increasing. This is the perfect storm that will lead to burnout and the loss of more primary care physicians.”
Dr. Jeanette Dickson, chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges, which professionally represents all British and Irish doctors, said she welcomed the planned increase in the number of NHS England doctors and anesthetists from 6,000 to 12,000 by 2036-37.
They would become “an increasingly important part of the workforce,” she said. “With the healthcare system under so much pressure, we would like to receive a safe helping hand.”
A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “The role of physician associates is to support doctors, not replace them, and they make an important contribution to the NHS. PAs work alongside physicians who provide medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team.
“Regulation of these roles is supported by parties and will enhance patient safety, with the General Medical Council implementing strict fitness-to-practice procedures and setting education and training standards.”