Physician associate role exceeds expectations in Ngatea practice

The team at Health Ngatea were desperate for more GPs when they heard how introducing a physician associate (PA) had helped ease workforce pressures in other practices.   

Hayley Scott, GP and practice owner, engaged a recruitment company through their practice liaison to ‘test the waters’ and see how adding a PA role to the provider mix at Ngatea could work.   

Within six weeks they welcomed Chris Daugherty, a US-trained PA, to the team. They haven’t looked back since.  

“Our expectations have been met, and more,” says Hayley. “We’ve basically gone from a 1.2 FTE to 2.2 FTE overnight.   

“Our patients can get appointments this week, instead of having to book four weeks out, and I’ve noticed there’s a real confidence in the practice again.”  

A PA is a highly trained generalist medical practitioner who can practice medicine under the supervision of a doctor. PAs treat patients autonomously and collaborate with doctors when necessary, but in New Zealand they cannot currently write prescriptions or sign driver’s medical forms.  

“They can do nearly everything a GP can do, they can see all patients, but need to be overseen by a GP.”  

Hayley says the relationship between the GP and the PA has been key to the success of the role. “It’s about collaborating together – me learning what Chris knows and him feeling like he can ask if he’s got an issue or needs something.”   

As the supervising GP, Hayley directs a bit of what Chris sees to suit his experience and the patient profile, but says that’s minimal. Likewise, she says the supervision requirement is easily managed and off-set by the value the PA role brings to the team.  

“Me blocking off a couple of appointments to see Chris and do his scripts is a no brainer, compared to him seeing 20 patients. It’s like having another GP, he’s great.”   

For Chris, who came to New Zealand from Colorado, USA, just over three months ago, the experience has been similarly positive.   

“It has been great, the clinic is really good and the work is awesome. It’s just a case of getting familiar with the New Zealand systems and approach, knowing the people and how it all works. Then it’s all go.” 

After the positive experience implementing a PA role in Ngatea, Hayley is now recruiting another PA for the team’s Te Aroha practice. She encourages other practices to look at doing the same.  

“If you need more capacity, go for it. They show up ready to go, and the more PAs in New Zealand the more likely we’ll get a professional body set up* – then it’s just a matter of time before PAs will be able to do scripts and paperwork as well.” 

Together with the rise of other new roles in primary care, including clinical pharmacists, primary care practice assistants, nurse practitioners and primary care paramedics, the PA role adds greater capacity to general practice teams, helping ease the the workforce pressures in primary care.  

* The New Zealand Physician Associate Society (NZPAS) has been established to represent and promote PAs in New Zealand. It is currently advocating for PAs to become a regulated workforce, with prescribing and ordering privileges, and an NZPA training programme.  

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