Physician assistants in English primary care teams: a survey

Ensuring that health care teams have a mix of skilled professionals to meet patient need, safely and effectively, is a priority in all health services. The United Kingdom, like a number of other countries, have been exploring the contribution physician assistants, who are well established in the United States of America, can make to health care teams including primary care. This study investigated the employment of physician assistants in English primary care and their contribution through an electronic, self report, survey. Sixteen physician assistants responded, who were working in a variety of types of general practice teams. A range of activities were reported but the greatest proportion of their time was described as seeing patients in booked surgery appointments for same day/urgent appointments. The scope of the survey was limited and questions remain as to patient and professional responses to a new professional group within English primary care.