In the United Kingdom, an anaesthesia associate (AA) is a healthcare worker who provides anaesthesia under the medical direction and supervision of a consultant anaesthetist or specialty and specialist (SAS) doctor. [1] They complete a two-year part-time MSc at University College London or two-year part-time PgDip Lancaster University or a 27-month full-time PgDip at the University of Birmingham. [2] [3] [4] It is classed as a medical associate profession. To be eligible to study for the above courses, a candidate must have a previous degree in a biomedical or biological science subject, or at least three years of recognised previous healthcare experience in another role such as a nurse or operating department practitioner (ODP) and recent academic study. [5]
The role was introduced into the UK National Health Service in 2004, under the title of Anaesthesia Practitioner. This was later changed in 2007 to physicians' assistant (anaesthesia), abbreviated to PA(A) to avoid confusion between nurses and ODPs. [6] The Association of Physicians' Assistants Anaesthesia changed the name again to "anaesthesia associates" in July 2019 and became the Association of Anaesthesia Associates. [7] In the same month, the government announced that the General Medical Council (GMC) would regulate anaesthesia associates as a distinct profession. [8] The GMC started regulation of the profession in December 2024 and also provided quality assurance of all three of the AA courses in the UK in April 2025. [9] [10]
Serious concerns about the lack of regulation, transparency of professional background, and scope of practise, of anaesthesia associates were raised by Anaesthetists United, a grass-roots group of anaesthetists, triggering an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) on 17 October 2023. All six motions were passes with significant majorities including on a call to pause recruitment of AAs until the RCoA consultation had been completed and the professional standard to inform patients clearly when AAs are involved in their care and their role. [11] [12]
