Building an NHS for the future

We need to recruit a strong workforce to achieve the vision in the General Practice Forward View (GP Forward View). NHS England is working in partnership with Health Education England (HEE), the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) and the British Medical Association (BMA) to deliver an extra 10,000 staff and to strengthen the primary care workforce by 2020/21.

Somerset Primary Healthcare Ltd (SPH), Somerset CCG and Somerset LMC developed a scheme that provides six months of paid, facilitated peer support sessions (£300 for each session attended) to experienced GPs who are seriously thinking of leaving or who have recently left. Read more about the GP Career Plus scheme on the NHS website.

The General Practice Workforce has also expanded to include the introduction of a number of other health professionals including pharmacists, paramedics, health coaches, mental health therapists, nursing associates and Physician Associates.

Physician Associates

Physician Associate (formerly known as Physician Assistant) is a rapidly growing healthcare role in the UK, working alongside GPs and doctors and surgeons in hospitals. Physician Associates support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients. They are trained to perform a number of roles including: taking medical histories, performing examinations, analysing test results, and diagnosing illnesses under the direct supervision of a doctor.

If you are interested in recruiting a Physician Associate or offering placements and wish to know more please get in touch.

Are you interested in training to become a Physician Associate? The Faculty of Physician Associates provides professional support to physician associates across the UK. Members of the FPA are part of a professional membership body campaigning for progress and change in the profession, offering advice to the government, and taking part in national debates on medical, clinical and public health issues. For information please access the FPA website or the UWE website for information about their course in Physician Associate studies.

For more details about recruiting or becoming a Physician Associate get in touch.