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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Denis Campbell Health policy editor

Physician associates make job harder, not easier, say thousands of NHS medics

Photo of workstation in a hospital ward with patients and staff in the background
Physician associates take medical histories, carry out physical examinations and can help decide on treatment, but have no medical degree. Photograph: Mark Thomas/Alamy

A majority of medics believe physician associates in hospitals and GP surgeries are adding to doctors’ workloads, not reducing them as intended, a survey has found.

Just over half of 18,000 doctors surveyed by the British Medical Association (BMA) said working alongside those staff increased what they had to do rather than freeing up their time.

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