Less-trained ‘physician associates’ are taking over from doctors – because they’re cheaper
Physician associate: training for these not-doctors is cropping up all over the place (this is at Chester University).
If you fall ill or are injured, would you like to be treated by a proper doctor – or would you accept treatment by a so-called ‘physician associate’ who is far less well-trained, but cheaper, and whose employment is intended to make a bigger profit for private health companies?
Here’s Damo to explain what this latest healthcare nightmare is all about:
So how do you fancy being treated by someone you assume to be a doctor should you go to hospital, who turns out no to be one at all? Meet Physician's Associates, there to do the job of a doctor, but don't get half the training, are expected to be overseen by actual doctors, but… pic.twitter.com/aaipkuT8yc
— Damien Willey 🟢 🔴 (@KernowDamo) January 18, 2024
Already two deaths have been linked to PAs. This means the Tories have intended to make those deaths possible.
And Labour too – because PAs appear to be part of Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting’s plan for the NHS. They certainly didn’t lift a finger to stop them becoming part of your future – if you have a future at all under the ministrations of these not-doctors.
Don’t just take Damo’s word on this. Here’s an actual doctor:
🧵/ The government doesn’t want you to know it, but it is currently conducting a massive, un-evidenced, cost-cutting experiment in the NHS, replacing doctors with so-called physician associates. 1/nhttps://t.co/yvraII6RFS pic.twitter.com/RA0dqAaTb6
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
Internationally, PA is recognised as meaning 'physician assistant'.
In the US, for example, PAs help doctors with roles like ECGs, bloods, admin etc. Their invaluable assistance means doctors can spend more of their time & expertise engaged in high-complexity activity. 3/n
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
Scope creep began – the insidious substitution of doctors with PAs performing roles of greater & greater complexity but crucially, without the same training & expertise. 5/n
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
Today, in the NHS, PAs can be found on senior registrar on-call rotas. They assess undifferentiated patients in GP surgeries. Incredibly, they even perform invasive neurosurgical procedures.
There have been dangerous consequences for patient safety. 7/n
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
Incredibly, most of the medical royal colleges like @RCPhysicians have enthusiastically embraced the government’s scheme.
So too has @gmcuk – who to many of us appears less these days an independent arbiter of standards in medicine than an outsourced government mouthpiece. 9/n
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
Take radiology.
A shortage of radiologists is crippling NHS care & causing delays that sometimes cost the lives of cancer patients.
Currently, the UK has a 15% shortfall of clinical oncologists – but by 2027 this will rise to 25%.https://t.co/TqAWYWlGcW
10/n pic.twitter.com/rztzdaPk75
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
Incredibly, the competition ratios to get onto a radiology training programme are increasing, not decreasing.
Last year, 9 young doctors applied for every 1 radiology training post
In 2018, that ratio was only 3:1.
Yet we have a national shortage of radiologists 🤷♀️
12/n pic.twitter.com/ilOtahATLf
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
Doctors like me are exceptionally worried about the implications of doctor substitution for our patients.
But if we speak up, we’re smeared as "militant" or “hateful”.
I'm none of those things – but I do care deeply about patient safety & will not be silenced by smears. 14/n
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
Since @DHSCgovuk @NHSEngland @gmcuk & the majority of the colleges are all ignoring the widespread & increasingly desperate pleas of doctors, both junior & senior, I can only appeal to you, the public.
Please don't stand for this.
Please tell your MP your concerns. 16/n.
— Dr Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 18, 2024
You have your instructions!
Please tell your MP you want the NHS to be staffed with proper doctors – and if private companies don’t want to spend the money, they shouldn’t be part of the service. You can find out how to get in touch here.
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It’s the plan. American accountable care (the monster masquerading behind England’s 42 so called integrated care systems) needs to make ever bigger profits for its corporate controllers. How? Screw staff, drive down wages, drive out those demanding better pay. And deny and ration care for patients. Our answer? Recognise that Tories AND Labour support this wickedness and join with staff to #TakeBackTheNHS
Apart from wrong diagnosis, wrong medication given, plus unnecessary deaths, what else could possibly go wrong!!!
Typical fascist tory policy – destroy our right of access to real medical doctors because we peasants don’t need ‘real medical treatment!’
Given three members of the royal family are currently undergoing real medical treatment I’ve no doubt the declining numbers of specialist doctors and medical practitioners will only be available to the wealthy boys and girls. This includes the royal family because they are ‘special’ unlike us peasants!
What next? Removal of teacher training because peasants’ children don’t need an education and anyway anyone can teach – why waste our public money on training teachers??