Internal Reference Number: FOI_9420
Date Request Received: 22/05/2026 00:00:00
Date Request Replied To: 02/07/2026 00:00:00
This response was sent via: By Email
Request Summary: PA deployment in trusts
Request Category: Companies
| Question Number 1: I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 regarding the employment, deployment, and governance of physician associates (PAs) working across your trust. Our request covers all clinical settings in which PAs are deployed. Please note, if your trust only has PAs working in emergency departments, I have already obtained responses to questions 1-4 through a prior FOI - please therefore exclude these questions from the request. However, if your trust has PAs working in departments other than emergency departments, please collate all relevant information for all the below questions. Pre-Leng PA deployment a. How many physician associates (PA) posts (FTE) were employed by your trust as of June 2025? Please provide a breakdown by department, specialty, or clinical setting. b. For each department or setting in which PAs were working, please describe the clinical activities and responsibilities they undertook. | |
| Answer To Question 1: 1a. 1.0 WTE in AMU and Medical SDEC 1b. Expected clinical skills: Arterial Blood Gas - Competent Catheters 鈥� ED Competent. Not Competent/skill not required. Cannulation - Competent Phlebotomy - Competent Advanced clinical skills: LP 鈥� No training document, this has been started but not currently in place Ascitic tap 鈥� Not competent Ultrasound 鈥� Not Competent (not considered appropriate for PA role) Request of investigations: Requesting of ionizing radiation (or the training thereof) is not currently supported by the Royal College of Radiologists. EDS. Write and sign off 鈥� Competent to complete EDS but unable to prescribe. Prescribing: Not supported and training not offered Surgery Response: No PA in Surgery therefore N/A. | |
| Question Number 2: Post-Leng PA deployment a. How many PA posts (FTE) are currently employed by your trust? Please provide a breakdown by department, specialty, or clinical setting. b. For any PAs previously working in a clinical setting who are no longer in those roles since July 2025, please provide: 鈥� The number redeployed to other departments or settings. 鈥� The number of posts made redundant, not renewed, or subject to a material change in contract since July 2025. 鈥� Whether a formal organisational change or redundancy consultation process was followed, and if so its outcome. 鈥� c. Were PAs consulted before any changes to their roles, contracts, or working arrangements were implemented? If yes, please describe the nature and format of that consultation. | |
| Answer To Question 2: 2a. 4 2b. 0 redeployed, 1 resigned and not renewed, no formal organisational change or redundancy consultation process followed. Submission of a benefits realisation has occurred, but yet no outcome. 2c. N/A | |
| Question Number 3: Changes to PA deployment a. For each department or clinical setting in which PAs work, please describe what changes, if any, have been made to their clinical activities, responsibilities, or scope of practice since July 2025. b. What restrictions or modifications have been placed on PA practice in each setting since July 2025? c. Please provide copies of any internal policies, directives or guidance documents regarding PA deployment or scope of practice issued to clinical staff or PA staff since July 2025. | |
| Answer To Question 3: 3a. None 3b. None 3. Policy still in draft form and waiting approval. | |
| Question Number 4: Impact assessment and consultation a. Prior to making any changes to PA deployment or scope of practice following the Leng Review, did your trust conduct a formal impact assessment? If yes, please provide a copy or summary of findings. If no, please explain why not. b. Following implementation of any changes, has your trust conducted any retrospective review of the impact of those changes on clinical operations, patient care, or workforce? If yes, please provide a copy or summary of findings. c. Prior to or following any changes, did your trust consult with or refer to documentation from any of the following organisations? 鈥� General Medical Council (GMC) 鈥� Care Quality Commission (CQC) 鈥� United Medical Associate Professionals (UMAPs) 鈥� College of Medical Associate Professionals (CMAPs) 鈥� Relevant medical royal colleges, including but not limited to the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Royal College of Physicians, and Royal College of Surgeons 鈥� NHS England or the DHSC d. Were PAs employed by your trust invited to contribute to any internal review, working group, or governance process relating to their deployment or scope of practice since July 2025? | |
| Answer To Question 4: 4a. N/A 4b. N/A 4c. N/a 4d. N/A | |
| Question Number 5: Incidents and reports a. How many serious incidents, never events, or patient safety incidents in which a PA was the primary clinician were recorded by your trust in each of the following periods: 鈥� October 2024 to June 2025 鈥� August 2025 to April 2026 鈥� b. How many formal patient complaints relating to PA practice were received by your trust in each of those periods? | |
| Answer To Question 5: Answer a) 鈥� October 2024 to June 2025 - Less than 5 鈥� August 2025 to April 2026 - Less than 5 Answer b) - No complaints received | |
| Question Number 6: Workforce costs a. What was the total expenditure on locum and bank medical staff in departments where PAs are deployed in the periods October 2024 to June 2025 and August 2025 to April 2026 respectively? b. If your trust has identified any direct costs arising specifically from changes to PA deployment, please provide details. | |
| Answer To Question 6: a - information is available on the trust website. - /about-us/ under Freedom of information b - see attached file. To accompany this answer to question 6 please also see the documents listed below:  FOI 9420.xlsx | |
| Please see Attachments: | |
| To return to the list of all the FOI requests please click here | |
Our staff at SA国际传媒 Hospital have long been well regarded for the quality of care and treatment they provide for our patients and for their innovation, commitment and professionalism. This has been recognised in a wide range of achievements and it is reflected in our award of NHS Foundation Trust status. This is afforded to hospitals that provide the highest standards of care.
