Medical Council welcomes publication of Independent Review of the role of Physician Assistants in the Irish Public Health System

The Medical Council has today welcomed the publication of the Department of Health’s Independent Review of the Physician Assistant (PA) Role in the Irish Public Health Service.

As the independent statutory body which regulates doctors in Ireland, the Medical Council acknowledges the importance of continued engagement on matters relating to the development, deployment, and oversight of healthcare roles within the Irish health system.

The Medical Council has consistently stated that patient safety must remain paramount and that there must be clarity regarding professional roles, responsibilities, accountability, and scope of practice within healthcare teams.

The Medical Council notes the Review’s emphasis on governance, supervision arrangements, and the need for a clearly defined scope of practice for physician assistants’ roles, aligned to their education, training, competence, and level of supervision.

Commenting on the publication of the Review, Dr Maria O'Kane, CEO, Medical Council, said,

“We welcome the Department’s Independent Review and the opportunity it provides to support informed discussion regarding the future role of physician assistants within the Irish healthcare system.

“It is essential that all healthcare roles are clearly defined and appropriately governed to protect patient safety and support effective team-based care.
The Review identifies the absence of a recognised funding stream for physician assistant posts within the HSE as a significant challenge to the future deployment and sustainability of the role within the public health service.

The Review also highlights the importance of robust governance, supervision and accountability arrangements. Whatever regulatory model is ultimately adopted, it will be essential that appropriate safeguards are in place to support patient safety and public confidence.

“The Medical Council welcomes continued engagement with the Department of Health and relevant stakeholders as consideration is given to the recommendations contained within the Review.”

Fiona McVeigh, Head of Regulatory Policy, Medical Council, added,

“The publication of this Review is an important contribution to ongoing policy discussions regarding the integration and governance of physician assistants within the Irish public health service.

“Our previous research paper and position statement highlighted the importance of patient safety, clinical governance, role clarity and clearly defined responsibilities of physician assistants. This Review is a key step in supporting evidence-informed policy discussions regarding the future governance and integration of physician assistants in Ireland,” Ms McVeigh concluded.

The Medical Council’s statement on the statutory regulation of physician assistants is available here.