Physician associates: BMA releases dossier of “shocking” safety incidents

New testimony gathered by the BMA details instances of physician associates (PAs) and anaesthesia associates (AAs) making incorrect clinical decisions, dangerously prescribing medication, introducing themselves as doctors, and taking part in surgical procedures for which they were not qualified.1

The BMA said that the scale of the evidence it had gathered through an online reporting portal between November 2023 and February 2025 showed that the NHS had failed in its duty to ensure patient safety. The 600 reports of serious concerns gathered by the BMA have been submitted as evidence to the government commissioned Leng review.23 But the BMA said that the NHS must introduce urgent interim measures while the review is ongoing, including an immediate halt to recruitment of PAs and AAs, implementation of the BMA’s safe scope of practice and supervision guidance, …