A clinical protocol for physician assistants in the NHS

Last year, in July 2025, the independent review of the physician associate and anaesthesia associate roles, carried out by professor Gillian Leng, was published. The review followed the contentious role out of PAs in the NHS - where their scope of practice differed across trusts, and GP practices, and concerns were raised about clinical safety. Some of the key recommendations were around seeing undifferentiated patients, training needs, and supervision - and we spoke to Gill at the time, and the government accepted her proposals. But questions remained about exactly how some of those recommendations might work. Today, with the publication of a draft clinical protocol - and we clarify some of those questions.