We remain committed to developing and promoting the highest standards of patient care in ophthalmology.
Hospital eye services across the country are now struggling more than ever with capacity and a lack of staff. We have undertaken – and continue to undertake – significant work to increase the number of training places within ophthalmology.
NHS England provided funding for a pilot scheme to explore the feasibility of the PA role in ophthalmology. Our commitment– as the lead for the speciality – was to run the exploration into the feasibility of the role.
Practical details of the pilot
The pilot scheme started in November 2023 and concluded in November 2024.
Four NHS trusts in England took part, each with one PA on a 12-month pilot programme.
It was entirely funded by NHS England and the trusts. There was no financial cost to the College.
We published our report on the findings on 30 April 2025.
About physician associates
PAs are generalist healthcare professionals, who work alongside doctors and provide medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team.
Physician associates work within a defined scope of practice and limits of competence.