About physician assistants in general practice
They work alongside GPs to provide care to people, particularly those with long-term conditions who often benefit from being able to see the same healthcare professional.
What can physician assistants help with?
Physician assistants can help with lots of things including:
- arranging tests and analysing results
- performing physical examinations
- seeing patients with long-term chronic conditions
How are GPs benefitting?
Physician assistants can perform a valuable role as part of the extended primary care team. There is scope for them to take some pressure off GPs by performing some defined clinical tasks and providing patients, especially those with long-term conditions, the continuity of care they need.
How does the role of the physician assistant differ from that of a GP?
A physician assistant is a healthcare professional who has the attitude, skills and knowledge base to deliver holistic care and treatment within the general medical and/or general practice team under defined levels of supervision.