West Suffolk Hospital recruits region’s first physician associate

West Suffolk Hospital has become the first in the region to introduce a new role to help meet increasing demand and take the pressure off doctors.

Lauren Rottman is the hospital’s first physician associate and is working in the acute medical unit.

She said: “Physician associates are able to provide largely the same services to patients as a doctor including taking histories, ordering investigations, making a diagnosis and creating a treatment plan.

“We do not, however, have prescribing rights for the moment.

“One of the benefits of this new profession is that we offer consistency to the workflow. My aim is to become a ‘right hand partner’ who the consultants can lean on and trust, all while learning from them and increasing my own knowledge.

“My vision is that PAs will soon become a staple of the healthcare model, supplementing the workforce and helping to meet increasing demand as life expectancy increases.”

The University of East Anglia will launch its first PA course in January with up to 60 students expected to take part. As well as her medical duties, Mrs Rottman will mentor students as they complete placements at West Suffolk Hospital.