The Royal College of Physicians (RCP) has announced that the Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) will close at the end of the year.
Following a meeting of RCP Council today (10 September), the RCP has confirmed that the FPA will close once the GMC becomes the regulatory body for medical associate professionals.
The FPA will now close on 31 December 2024, and from 1 January 2025, PAs will be offered affiliate membership of the RCP in line with other non-doctor professions.
The PA managed voluntary register (PAMVR) will close to new entrants once the GMC becomes the regulator. The RCP will begin to transfer PAMVR data to the GMC from October 2024.
To provide oversight of patient safety standards, and as agreed by RCP Council, the RCP Assessment Unit will continue to deliver the PA National Exam on behalf of the GMC for the next 4 years.
FPA membership will be extended at no additional cost to qualified FPA members for 2 months from 1 November – 31 December 2024. The 2024 FPA multi-site conference will go ahead as planned on 11 December (London) and 13 December (Liverpool).
RCP senior censor and vice president for education and training, Dr Mumtaz Patel, who is acting as president, said:
‘After a challenging year, this is a clear way forward for PAs and doctors. Now we can move on from months of uncertainty. The RCP has committed to support PAs as far as regulation and we will always work collaboratively with other professional groups to prioritise patient safety and ensure high standards of multidisciplinary care.’
FPA president-elect, Andrew Jones, said:
‘The FPA has played a crucial role in the journey to regulation, and I want to acknowledge and thank everyone involved for their hard work and commitment. With regulation now in place, we are in a prime position to take the next positive step forward for PAs across the UK.’
Both the RCP and the FPA will continue to update their members regularly in the coming weeks as the PA profession moves closer to regulated status.