GMC calls for regulation of Medical Associate Professionals (MAPs) 

Medical associate professionals (MAPs) could grow to dramatically strengthen health services if regulated, the General Medical Council (GMC) has said.

In response to the Department of Health (DH) consultation on the regulation of MAPs, the GMC has said that introducing statutory regulation would allow the four roles, including physician associates, to reach their full potential and ensure patient safety. The GMC also adds that it would be well placed to accept regulatory responsibility for MAPs providing the Government agrees to three conditions they have laid out. 

The full statement, including a quote from FPA president Jeannie Watkins, can be read on the GMC website.  

The DH consultation on the regulation of MAPs 

If you haven't yet submitted your own response to the consultation on the regulation of MAPs, find out more information and what to expect. The FPA encourages all of our members, the PA profession as a whole, and those working with PAs, to respond positively to the consultation.

There is power in numbers – and the more of us there are submitting evidence to the consultation, the more convincing our case will be. Please submit your consultation response through the Department of Health website before 22 December 2017. 

The DH consultation on the regulation of MAPs covers four professions: 

• Physician associates work alongside doctors to diagnose patients, perform examinations, take medical histories, analyse test results and develop management plans
• Surgical care practitioners administer some surgical procedures, pre and post-operative care under a consultant’s supervision
• Advanced critical care practitioners diagnose and treat patients in critical care units. They make high-level clinical decisions and refer cases on to specialists when necessary
• Physician assistants (anaesthesia) deliver anaesthesia and critical care, perform post-operative assessments and interventions under the supervision of a consultant anaesthetist

You can find out more about these roles on the Health Education England (HEE) website.