The Department of Health, HSE and training bodies must ensure physician associates/assistants (PAs) are not used to replace NCHD roles, stated a motion passed by NCHDs at the IMO AGM.
The motion was proposed ahead of the HSE’s publication of an independent review of the PA role. The review was completed in late 2025 and has been submitted to the Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill. A HSE spokesperson told the Medical Independent (MI) it will publish the report shortly. “Following publication, the HSE will work towards the implementation of the recommendations.”
Speaking to MI at the meeting, NCHD Chair Dr Rachel McNamara said the IMO had “huge concerns” about the HSE’s initial guidance document on employment of PAs. These concerns, which it communicated to the HSE, particularly related to scope of practice and supervision. The HSE suspended the recruitment of PAs pending its review.
“My understanding is that imminently the recruitment will recommence, and there will be a charter released as to the scope of practice of physician associates,” Dr McNamara told this newspaper.
Dr McNamara said the IMO would monitor developments closely to ensure its concerns have been addressed.
Asked at the AGM if she believed PAs should have a future role in the Irish health service, Minister Carroll MacNeill told MI: “What I think is exciting about workforce expansion in the Irish healthcare service is for all of the different roles to operate at the top of their capacity and to see where can we go with that.”
Across healthcare, “we are trying to give professionals the opportunity to work at the top of their clinical expertise, whether that is a pharmacist, whether that will be dental hygienists, whether that is physician assistants.”
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