Aims Given the relatively new role of physician associates & their employment within the Trust. The key aims were:

• To identify areas of improvement in promoting the role of PAs to the multidisciplinary team (MDT).

• To create a greater awareness of the PA role, what PAs can additionally offer, their competences, limits of competences, training and regulations.

• To improve understanding and communication within the MDT and ultimately ensure patient safety and continuity of care.

Methods A detailed questionnaire was distributed to the MDT and submitted anonymously. This included aspects of having a PA on their team that worked well.

Additionally, a presentation on ‘Who are Physician Associates?’ was presented. This consisted of the PA role, what they can additionally offer, their competences and limits of competences, their training and regulation. To measure improvement a survey was performed before and after.

This included a comment section.

Results 52% of MDT agreed/strongly agreed there is a lack of understanding about what a PAs can and cannot do.

Improvements included a PA trust information leaflet/internet spotlight briefing, grand round/departmental talks, annual inductions talks for new doctors, PA teaching programme, medical rotations.

Following the induction talks their was a 68% increase in the understanding of PA role, a 96% increase in the understanding of their competences and limits of competences, a 89% increase in the understanding of PA training and a 82% increase in the understanding of PA regulation.

Conclusion Communication and understanding of individual strengths and weakness is important aspect of leadership and management, directing positive change and quality improvement. Given the new PA profession and its developing scope of practice and regulation, continuously promoting the role important to ensure a clear understanding and benefit to the MDT and patient care.