GMC Reforms Confirm Physician Assistants Excluded from Specialist Training Certificates

Major reforms to medical regulation will exclude physician assistants from receiving certificates of completion of training, the government and General Medical Council have confirmed. The draft General Medical Council Order 2026 will repeal much of the Medical Act 1983 even as bringing physician assistants under GMC oversight for the first time.

The Regulatory Shake-Up

The proposed changes will rename physician associates and anaesthesia associates to physician assistant and physician assistant in anaesthesia respectively. These titles will be protected in law, making unauthorised use an offence. But the reforms draw a clear line – certificates of completion of training will remain exclusive to medical practitioners seeking specialty registration.

All physician assistants will face periodic assessment under the new system. There’s no exemption for complete registration restrictions, and practitioners can be removed from the register for failing to meet standards.

Why the Changes Matter

The reforms stem from Professor Gillian Leng CBE’s independent review, which recommended renaming to clarify supportive roles and address patient confusion over titles and responsibilities. The consultation, launched in March 2026, seeks views on the draft order alongside reforms from the Lord Mann review on tackling racism in the NHS.

On top of that, the British Medical Association welcomed the renaming as a positive step against confusion but argued the GMC should remain a doctors-only regulator. The BMA stated the changes fail to address broader trust issues, including GMC appeal rights for physician assistants.

Critics have raised concerns that allowing GMC oversight of less-trained associates could erode doctor training standards.

Training and Standards

The order revokes the PMET Order, shifting specialty categories to Privy Council specification for medical practitioners only. This confirms that as physician assistants will be regulated by the GMC, they won’t receive the same training certification as doctors completing specialist programmes.

Department of Health and Social Care consultation documents make clear that certificates of completion of training apply only to medical practitioners’ specialty registration. The distinction maintains separate pathways for doctors and physician assistants within the healthcare system.

Key Takeaways

• Physician assistants will be regulated by the GMC but cannot receive certificates of completion of training
• Job titles will be legally protected, with unauthorised use becoming an offence
• All physician assistants must undergo periodic assessment with potential removal from register for failing standards

What This Means for Kent Residents

Kent NHS trusts employing physician assistants will need to align with GMC title protections and periodic assessments, affecting roles in local hospitals including those under East Kent Hospitals University NHS Foundation Trust. Patients across Kent won’t see changes to their access to physician assistants, but clearer job titles may reduce confusion when visiting GP practices and clinics served by NHS Kent and Medway Integrated Care Board. Local training programmes for physician assistants remain unaffected by the CCT exclusion, maintaining current deployment patterns in Kent’s healthcare settings even as ensuring clearer professional boundaries.