Non-motoring > Physician Associates / Da Vinci Miscellaneous
Thread Author: zippy Replies: 19

 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - zippy
Miss Z and the other doctors where she works are having a dispute with management as physicians associates are calling themselves doctors with the support of management!

They don’t like them because they have bioscience degrees and some training and often earn more than junior doctors without any of the responsibilities.

Patient have been saying “I’ve seen the doctor and they said x” when they haven’t and the diagnosis given makes no sense given the results of the tests.

On a more positive note, she’s been allowed to “play” with a da Vinci robot and hopes to use it on a patient as opposed to an orange soon. She won’t like it when the robot is able to do the operation without human intervention.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - sooty123
I thought most medical drs were honorary when it came to being doctor?

Although i wouldn't be worried about the job more the quality of the training they receive.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - maltrap
It will be interesting to read any comments from Lyngos.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - maltrap
Apologies Lygonos.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - Bromptonaut
Have we touched on this before or have I seen it in some other place?

I can see they might have a function operating in a similar niche to Nurse Practitioners who we have in our GP practice.

They're not Doctors (in the medical sense) though and while patients may assume they are they should make clear they're not and never use the title themselves.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - Lygonos
I have no professional contact with any PA or AAs.

So can't really comment.

They certainly shouldn't be referred to as doctors without either a medical degree or a doctorate.

(AA are Anaesthetist Assistants - do you want one of them for your op?)
Last edited by: Lygonos on Fri 10 Nov 23 at 11:07
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - smokie
My b-i-l is a doctor. In statistics though.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - Zero
What are the chances of that!
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - Lygonos
My older brother is also a doctor.

Of maths and physics.

(So a 'real one')
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - henry k
>> My b-i-l is a doctor. In statistics though.
>>
My daughter is a doctor doctor. A hospital consultant and a DPhil (PhD).
known as Miss
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - Zero

>> I can see they might have a function operating in a similar niche to Nurse
>> Practitioners who we have in our GP practice.

We have a local minor injuries walk in centre, almost entirely staffed by nurse practitioners. What a fabulous concept that is, somewhere where you know you need medical intervention that day, but not serious enough to go to A&E, and waiting times are not too unbearable.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - CGNorwich
We had a Walk in Centre until they decided they had to close it last month. "Operationally Unsustainable" apparently whatever that means. Local Hospital has declared a Critical Incident and is begging people to stay away unless a real emergency or they are seriously injured.

There's always the GP surgery I suppose . " Please hold. You are 35th in the queue. Your call is important to us"
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - smokie
After they did away with the (relatively short lived) surgery nurse practitioner a few years back at our surgery, we had a drop-in phlebotomy place in the Bracknell Health centre, and a minor accident drop-in too.

The phlebotomy is now by appointment only (up to about 14 day wait I think) and we're not able to use the minor accident bit as it's out of our region. Now have to go to A&E in Reading I believe.

Longer serving readers may remember I used a video doctor service (push doctor) which I could access anytime, without referral. That's now only by referral.

Getting to see a doc is a bit of a lottery and revolves around calling in way before I get up (haha - actually between 8 & 9) and being available for same day appointment (phone or in person). We were discussing this with neighbours recently and no-one could remember the last time they were invited to the surgery to see the doc.

Luckily, and touching wood etc, I have little need to refer to a doc, though I do have some stuff going on I probably would previously have done if there weren't so many hurdles to cross. The problem is, it's building up and they will only deal with one condition in your 10 minute session.

Neighbours said there is now a private GP practice in the area, £145 for an appointment rings a bell but that feels a lot so maybe I misheard.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - CGNorwich
Its £110 for a GP appointment with Spire Healthcare around here.

The vet charges £50 for a cat so I suppose thats not bad
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - Duncan
>> Its £110 for a GP appointment with Spire Healthcare around here.
>>
>> The vet charges £50 for a cat so I suppose thats not bad
>>

I registered with Livi a few weeks back.

www.livi.co.uk/

I now get regular offers of free on-line consultations with a GP - same day. My NHS GP practice supports and plugs this service. How can they do it same day, while I struggle to see anyone at my GP surgery?
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - CGNorwich
"The vet charges £50 for a cat so I suppose thats not bad"

Castration is £75. Not sure what our local GP charges
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - Zero
Costs more than that to have a dog dispatched over rainbow bridge.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - CGNorwich
>> Costs more than that to have a dog dispatched over rainbow bridge.
>>
Not available on NHS though.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - Zero
>> >> Costs more than that to have a dog dispatched over rainbow bridge.
>> >>
>> Not available on NHS though.

There you go you see, lack of competition.
 Physician Associates / Da Vinci - smokie
Haha but the cat's working life (and it's NI contributions) is not comparable to ours LOL

I wonder if Livi is like Push Doctor, which was what my surgery was pushing some years back. That was free, and I could have even used them from abroad if required.

Seems that these companies are really sucking resource from the NHS so it's a bit of a downward spiral.

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