Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To put that I don’t want to be treated by PAs in my ELCS birth plan?

213 replies

BPquestion · 01/05/2024 22:10

I have recently been following the news, and ‘med Twitter’ about the growing problem of physicians’ associates. It seems there’s an issue with many of them performing outside of their limits of capability, expertise and knowledge. I also understand that they are not currently regulated by a professional body.

I recently read of a PA taking on an anaesthetic role, and another taking on a surgery role.

I am having an ELCS soon. Would I BU to put in the birth plan that I don’t want any PA to be involved in any part of the surgery itself?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
7
SnakesAndArrows · 03/05/2024 12:40

PAs are, well, physicians’ associates. Not surgeons’ associates. Surely?

onlyyarrknhe · 03/05/2024 12:35

YANBU OP that sounds terrifying. But do you even know if your maternity unit uses PAs? Are all those stories you mentioned from your local hospital specifically?
Even my GP surgery for example doesn't have any. They only have paramedic prescribers.

Having known(and dated) several doctors they spend a lot of time dealing with paperwork, filling in forms etc so I imagined PA's were to do all that. Not to replace an actual doctor.

chaticat · 03/05/2024 12:34

Why do you think it might be unreasonable?

Original poster
BPquestion · 03/05/2024 12:33

Wowzel · 03/05/2024 12:12

The ones in theatre are anaesthetic associates rather than PAs

Not all of them - some PAs have reported doing c-sections ‘with the consultant by your shoulder,’ others report assisting in c-sections and others have delivered the placenta. No, thank you!

OP posts:
Giveupnow · 03/05/2024 12:13

they aren’t that prevalent in obstetrics at the moment - you’ll be more likely to meet them in neonates / paediatrics if baby needs it after being born. Quite common relatively in paeds.

Wowzel · 03/05/2024 12:12

The ones in theatre are anaesthetic associates rather than PAs

LordSnot · 03/05/2024 12:11

Not unreasonable at all. Every single one of us needs to refuse to be treated by them.

Nap1983 · 03/05/2024 12:10

I work in a surgical speciality (nurse) I have never come across a PA.

Skyla01 · 03/05/2024 11:00

I feel a bit sorry for PAs as individuals - it isn't their fault the government / NHS managers have made such a hash of their profession. I believe they are competent to do a lot of tasks, but problem is they are being used to plug gaps in doctor rotas, and therefore being asked to do a lot more than they have been trained to do. Also, not their fault that proper regulation hasn't been introduced.

I'm not sure if you get many PAs in specialist areas such as obstetrics? I think it would be a bit unreasonable to not let them do anything in your care (e.g. theoretically, they could just be asked to take your blood or something simple). I'm heavily pregnant and wouldn't mind a PA doing a simple task like that. However, you obviously wouldn't want someone doing a complex task if you weren't confident in their training.

You could ask your midwife, it might be that there are no PAs in your maternity hospital anyway.

Original poster
BPquestion · 03/05/2024 10:49

Just bumping to see if there are any other thoughts.

OP posts:
Original poster
BPquestion · 02/05/2024 08:25

Thanks both. It seems that they do work in surgery in some hospitals, but good to hear that they don’t in yours @Thedogscollar!

OP posts:
Thedogscollar · 01/05/2024 23:40

I work in maternity. We have no PAs there never had never will.
It will be an obstetrician performing your CS a fully trained medical doctor training to become a consultant. Your anaesthetist will also be a fully trained medical doctor who is specialising in anaesthetics.

Sonolanona · 01/05/2024 23:13

Totally agree.
PAs have TWO years training...
Doctors (even before they specialise) have SEVEN... 5 in med school and then two foundations years. My DD1 is a doctor and they are genuinely scared of what is happening. Some PAs are a useful addition... as a less qualified add on to help with some of the easier stuff and paperwork but there have been quite a few cases of PAs going way above their skills level and with bad results.