THE Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed that Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital is to become the first Irish hospital to employ Physician Associates.
A Physician Associate is a healthcare professional who supports doctors in their diagnosis and management of patients.
They are trained to perform a number of roles including taking medical histories, performing examinations, diagnosing illnesses, analysing test results and developing management plans.
This is all done under the supervision of a doctor.
It’s not a requirement for the associate to have a medical degree, but a basic degree, generally in one of the health sciences is common.
Beaumont Hospital pilot project
The Royal College of Surgeons (RCSI) said the General Surgery Directorate Beaumont Hospital, in collaboration with the RCSI, is seeking to establish a two-year pilot Physician Associate project commencing in July 2015.
The Department of Health officials are currently engaging with the HSE and RCSI in this regard.
Physician Associates are employed in a number of different countries, including the UK.
However, some doctors have not welcomed the introduction of associates in Ireland, with some stating the Ireland has been “crying out” for more funding and more jobs on the ground for doctors and nurses.
One doctor, who wishes to remain anonymous said:
Instead of offering this the HSE has introduced the new job which appears to be another finger in the dam. They are willing to pay them more than a Non Consultant Hospital Doctors (NCHDs) who may be qualified for two years/three years. It begs the question as to why they can’t use that funding for doctor or nurse who have been trained and have appropriate qualifications.
NCHDs have for years been asking for appropriate assignment of tasks in the hospitals. For years qualified doctors have spent hour upon hour paper pushing and doing tasks that nurses or other staff could be trained to do (ecg, phlebotomy, cannulation, form filling).
For these reasons the new post may take pressure off and help the system, said the doctor, but added that at the centre of the argument has to be the patient.
Who will they want to see. Who will they trust?? They deserve a doctor or appropriate trained nurse. They will have to make sure the new post is not used as an alternative to this.
Another doctor said patients will not welcome the new introduction, saying patients want to see a doctor, not a doctor’s assistant who doesn’t hold a medical degree.
The Irish Medical Organisation told TheJournal.ie that it is currently reviewing the announcement of the new roles.
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