Physician Associate

[Bazile]

Apparently i have been seeing a ' Physician Associate ' at my surgery

I thought the lady in question was a Doctor .

What is a physician associate - are they as knowledgeable as a 'Proper doctor ' ?

[Mamyalynne]

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/physician-associateassistant/physician-associate

[Baldric]

http://www.fparcp.co.uk/

Do you not have access to Google?

[Mamyalynne]

Bazile knows there are some of us only too happy to help and someone may have first hand knowledge.

[Sqad]

So......no medical degree.

[ethandron]

I sometimes see the nurse practitioner at our surgery, I know it's not the same as a physician associate but I've always been happy with what she's done. And she can do prescriptions. And if she's not happy then she makes an immediate appointment with the GP.

[Bazile]

No need for your sarky Baldric

[Sqad]

So what is the "Practical" difference between a physician associate and a nurse practitioner?

[Baldric]

No sarky Baz, genuine question.

[Mamyalynne]

I feel it's fair to be told in advance who you are seeing and what their role is, hopefully you were dealt with well and could ask to see a Doctor if you wished to at any stage.

Harder if you think you're being dealt with by a Doctor in the first place of course.

[Bazile]

I thought it a bit strange , when she left the room to get a prescription authorised .

ethandron
So your nurse practitioner can prescribe .
Does she have to have it authorised ?

[Mamyalynne]

I don't think they can prescribe Sqad though there were plans to allow them to do so.

[Mamyalynne]

This from 2015.


http://www.pulsetoday.co.uk/news/new-deal-2015/16/physician-associates-may-be-given-prescribing-powers-says-dh/20010433.article

[Sqad]

mamy...no they can't prescribe unless the supervising doctor gives them the "nod"
One would presume that the "supervising doctor" is in the building in order to supervise.

[Mamyalynne]

Of course.

Sorry I thought you were asking.

[Bazile]

this from your link mamy

//Physician associates are currently science graduates who have completed a two-year training course, however, it is not mandatory for them to be officially registered.//

Hmmmm

[Mamyalynne]

As I say , the patient should be told and then they can decide whether to wait until able to see a Doctor if they wish - things are confusing enough without adding extra layers all the while.

[Sqad]

mamy LOL ^^^^ exactly.

[Mamyalynne]

Aye, if I'm seeing t'cobbler I'll take me shoes.

[sapelesam]

May not have seen this answered so here goes. Nurse Practioners can
prescribe.

[Bazile]

To be fair to her , she did appear to know what she was doing .
I did not think at the time that i was not being seen by a doctor

I only found out she was not a doctor , today , when i phoned surgery.

So with respect to sqad's question
Is a nurse practitioner more qualified than a Physician Associate ?