Introduction
Susan Collett (centre) with Ameet Bakhai (left) and Devan Vaghela
In 2004, struggling to meet primary-care access targets due to shortages of general practitioners (GPs) and nurse practitioners, several primary care trusts (PCTs) in the West Midlands recruited a small number of experienced US-trained physician assistants (PAs) to work in local GP practices. The Department of Health (DoH) commissioned an evaluation of the pilot led by the Changing Workforce Programme (CWP), which resulted in recommendations to introduce the PA role more widely in the National Health Service (NHS), with a preference for UK-recruited and trained ind
