Anaesthesia associate

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 (who is a medical doctor).^[1] Anaesthesia associates complete a 27-month full-time training programme which leads to the award of a postgraduate diploma, or alternatively a 24-month training programme via University College London leading to a master's degree.^[2] It is classed as a medical associate profession. To be eligible, a candidate must have a previous degree in a biomedical or science subject, or recognised previous healthcare experience in another role.^[3]

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The role was introduced into the UK National Health Service in 2004, under the title of Anaesthesia Practitioner. This was later changed to physicians' assistant (anaesthesia), abbreviated to PA(A). The Association of Physicians' Assistants Anaesthesia changed the name of their role to Anaesthesia Associates in July 2019.^[4] In July 2019, the UK government announced its intention to request that the General Medical Council (GMC) would in future regulate anaesthesia associates as a distinct profession.^[5] 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.^[6][7]

Serious concerns about the lack of regulation, transparency of professional background, and scope of practise, of anaesthesia associates have been 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.^[8][9]