Physician associates in primary care
As part of the General Practice Forward View, we committed to invest in the training of 1,000 physician associates to support general practice. Physician associates support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients.In April 2016 NHS England published the General Practice Forward View (GPFV), setting out a plan to stabilise and transform general practice, improving services for patients and investing in new ways of providing primary care. Specifically, the GPFV sets ambitious targets to expand and develop the primary care workforce and is a step change in the level of investment and commitment to transforming primary care.
As part of this plan, we committed to invest in the training of 1,000 physician associates to support general practice.
To support delivery of this commitment, we are running a campaign to encourage more physician associates to choose primary care, and increase awareness of the benefits of employing physician associates to GPs and practice managers.
Our campaign will seek to promote the role for students to choose general practice as their ‘career of choice’, and highlight the benefits to qualified physician associates to consider the uniqueness and autonomy of a career in primary care.
Find out more about these opportunities, visit the Health Careers website.
Our campaign will also encourage more GPs to invest time and develop new opportunities within practice to train and support physician associates students, and encourage GPs to provide a dynamic working environment with a variety of development and training opportunities.
More information for GP practices can be found on the FPA website.
Our campaign champions will play a leading role as the faces and voices of the campaign. We would like to work with both physician associates working in primary care and GPs and practice managers who currently work with physician associates.
As a champion for the campaign, you will promote your profession in whatever way you are comfortable, possibly including interviews, social media and also campaign collateral such as posters.
If you are interested in becoming a champion, please email us.