Why Scotland's doctors are worried about Physician Associates

Simon Barker, a children's orthopaedic surgeon in Aberdeen, explains the growing concern over the use of new “physician associates” in a stretched health service.

Are they valuable, quickly-trained additions, or is this “mission creep” to paper over gaps doctors can’t always cover?

Dr Barker is deputy chairman of the British Medical Association’s Scottish council, and works in NHS Grampian.