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Gold, incentives and meh

James Parle

  • Only six US physician associates recruited for practices despite £50k salary offer

    James Parle's comment 19 Jan 2016 3:08pm

    well it isnt too surprising that the endeavour to recruit American PAs hasn't been especially successful, since they are busy expanding their health service (ie Obamacare) massively.
    I feel as if I am in groundhog day as no-one seems to bother to find stuff out before shooting themselves in the foot
    but
    hmm: indemnity; now why didn't we think of that (actually they can get indemnity, and do, so they will be sued, not you)
    government throwing money? err, no, vast majority of PAs to date have paid for their own training, with no grants nor bursaries
    So, can I suggest we all slow down a bit and ask ourselves: is there too much work? do we need help? Do we want to draw lots of nurses away from nursing?
    PAs, recruited from the 15000 or so bioscience and exercise science graduates in the UK per year, offer a really useful addition to the medical team. and that's what the evidence shows

  • GMC calls for physician associates to be regulated

    James Parle's comment 25 Oct 2015 9:05am

    Well as a quick look at the Pulse Q&A will show (see : http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/your-practice/qa-should-i-employ-a-physician-associate/20030190.article) the 50k issue is a bit of a red herring, as it is a very temporary measure to bring very experienced US PAs here. There is good UK evidence that PAs can help us GPs (and yes, I'm a GP), and yes regulation would be very appropriate. Many of us are working with GMC and others to move this forward. Meanwhile 10 universities are currently training PAs (including Birmingham where I work and where we started training PAs in January 2008). By 2020 there could be 3,000 or so. NB most work in hospitals; this is NOT a threat to GP.

  • Physician associate indemnity ‘costs practices upwards of £2,400’

    James Parle's comment 06 Oct 2015 12:43pm

    I woudl also like to point out the 50k stuff is a bit irrelevant; it is a project, short-term, trying to bring about 200 v experienced US PAs into UK, and so having to compete with their salaries over there.
    Vast majority of PAs (who remember have science degree as wel as 2 full-tiime years of PA education) are on about 30k

  • Practice immediately shut down after CQC found non-qualified individual taking consultations

    James Parle's comment 28 Aug 2015 10:19am

    It would be good to know exactly what this person's qualifications were; but they were NOT a PA by the defined standards (bioscience degree followed by 2 years full-time clinical course followed by entry onto register after passing a NATIONAL exam, followed by CPD and re-taking of national exam at 6-yearly intervals).
    The problem is that currently, due to lack of statutory regulation, ANYONE can call themlseves a PA (actually anyone can call themselves Dr).
    Declaration: I run a PA programme and chair a national committee to do with PAs; further declaration: and qualified in 1978 and have many many years of clinical experience.
    And I think 'real' PAs are definitely part of the answer to our overwhelming workload

  • Are you kidding me?

    James Parle's comment 20 Jul 2015 3:26pm

    I am extremley unimpressed by theorigiinal article; and stating the PA has a media studies degree is not a minor error it's a major one. I think it was unprofessional.
    Meanwhile, like most of yourcorespondents, I was VERY sceptical when first approached over 10 years ago about training PAs. BUT I looked into it, read the literature and am now convinced that PAs CAN help us. (And actually there are more in hospitals than GP currently (about 5:1); so it is quite possible Jeremy will see a PA in A&E too).
    To use an old-fashioned expression, 'the cavalry is coming'; and PAs are the cavalry! We should be glad that we are going this route, not just taking everything that happens as a conspiracy.
    Actually teh evidence from those who work with PAs is that patients, junior doctors, nurses and senior doctors all appreciate them and find them helpful in getting the job done
    Jim Parle
    part-time GP and PA course Director

  • Physician associates may be given prescribing powers, says DH

    James Parle's comment 07 Jul 2015 1:56pm

    well its a 2 year fulltime post grad diploma AFTER a bioscience degree not JUST 2 years
    and the evidence shows that PAs can be effective members of the team supporting doctors
    they are dependent practitioners who will work much like ju7nior doctors do in hospitals currently, with consultants supervising and training and (yes) dealing with the more difficult cases.
    Anyone not feeling overworked? Anyone not want someone who you get to know over a period of time and who can see at least some of the patients for you?
    Jim Parle
    Declaration of interest: former full-time GP and senior partner, now academic and director of Birmingham’s PA programme

  • CCG to recruit physician associates from USA to address GP shortages

    James Parle's comment 03 Jun 2015 5:55pm

    hmm
    maybe some attempt to fnid out sme facts before commenting woudnt come amiss?/
    Actually there is good evidence that PAs are effective and safe and liked by patients
    We need more help in geneal practice, don't we? the increasingly elderly population, more interventions etc etc arent going to go away
    American PAs are a bit of a short-term measure, but actually many have been (and still are) very succesful in various practices across the UK. And we are training more people, who are new to the health service (ie not stealing from other professions) and so numbers will rise.
    I suggest that PAs could be a huge help to GPs and others within the medical world.
    Declaration: I run a PA course at Birmingham medical school