“What is a physician associate offering that a doctors' assistant or a doctor isn’t?" Asked to explain how physician associates are useful, Wes Streeting gives an example of a PA giving dietary advice in a GP practice.

An interesting answer to be honest, band 7 pay to do the job a band 5 nurse does? Thanks for taking my question LBC

It’s telling that even when Mr Streeting will have had time to prep an answer for the expected “What is the role of a PA?” This is the best answer he could come up with.

Diet and nutrition is for dietitians, who have the relevant qualification and competency for this professional role. Dieticians start at band 5 pay PAs are band 7 pay @wesstreeting

PAs save money on training costs but offer nothing in terms of a GP practice. In fact, they’re a net negative. They’re expensive to employ and offer similar services to ANPs (arguably less and without experience). Also, GPs have to use their own time up to monitor them.

If I make an appointment with a GP I want to see a GP and preferably my own GP so he knows me and my history. I am struggling to get a GP appt and if I do it’s with somebody who knows nothing about me.

A dietitian degree is 4 yrs. They cover stuff which many medics are not familiar with. These PA schools must be amazing do it all types of they can cover all of medicine and other degrees in 2 yrs! I reckon physios and OT’s have had it. SALT is toast!

That's what a nutritionist does. They get paid no where near as much as a PA (nutritionists deserve more may I add). What a terrible example and poor use of ARRS funding (hence why the practice is having a PA because the partners aren't paying for them)

Embarrassing from Streeting. We have a specific role called dieticians for this who are highly trained and expert and importantly work within a defined scope of practice. PAs have no useful role. And I’ve never heard anyone say something a PA can do that a resident doctor can’t.

This is such lovely meme material @BDA_Dietitians

PA'S are there to provide another obstacle to healthcare access. A PA prescribed me a 500g tub of Zeroderm (to remedy dry skin conditions) to address what was later correctly diagnosed as Peripheral Arterial Disease by an actual doctor.