First reported 24 Feb 2025•Latest report 17 Sep 2025
Definition
What this concern includes
Includes failures by healthcare providers to disclose clearly and appropriately to patients or their families the clinician’s professional qualification or status and materially relevant experience where that information affects informed care decisions, expectations of competence or the ability to seek an appropriate second opinion.
Not included
Excludes failures to verify or credential clinicians internally before independent practice; those belong to clinician competence or credentialing concerns.
Excludes misuse or lack of legal protection for healthcare professional titles where patient disclosure is not the deficient control.
Excludes general Duty of Candour, transparency or complaint-handling failures that do not concern disclosure of the involved clinician’s qualifications, professional status or relevant experience.
Excludes disclosure of routine staff identity, grade or role where qualifications or materially relevant experience are not the safety-relevant information.
Reports
2
Distinct published reports
Individual concerns
3
A report can raise multiple concerns
Date range
2025–2025
First to latest report issue date
Stated actions
8
Described in published responses
Reports over time
Reports over time
Reports about this concern issued each year.
* 2026 is projected from reports observed to 7 Sep 2026.
Most frequent recipients
Most frequent recipients
Reports about this concern sent to each recipient.
Care Quality Commission2
Department of Health and Social Care2
Association Of Anaesthetists (Great Britain & Ireland)1
Difficult Airway Society1
General Medical Council1
Goring Hall Hospital1
NHS England1
NHS Surrey and Sussex Integrated Care Board1
Royal College of Anaesthetists1
Royal College of Emergency Medicine1
Royal College of Physicians1
Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust1
Sussex Medical Chambers Limited1
Health and social care service regulator2
Ministerial department2
Executive non-departmental public body1
Health and care professional regulator1
Healthcare site1
Health professional body1
Independent healthcare provider1
Integrated care board1
NHS trust1
Registered charity1
Concerns and responses across reports
Only concerns grouped under this recurring concern are included. Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.
West Sussex, Brighton and Hove
Concerns raised1
Failure to fully inform patients of clinicians’ relevant experience
This report raised 10 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.1
Action
Publish personal profiles for consultants on the hospital website, alongside GMC Specialist Register information, to provide patients with transparent experience information.
Stated by Circle Health Group and Goring Hall HospitalStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 19 September 2025.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.3
Position
CHG disputes breaching the statutory duty of candour, relying on consultant profiles and GMC registration information as transparent disclosures to patients.
Stated by Circle Health Group and Goring Hall HospitalDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
CHG considers no additions or changes to its current practising-privileges and transparency processes necessary.
Stated by Circle Health Group and Goring Hall HospitalNo action considered necessaryThe respondent said that no further action was needed.
Position
Further information about clinicians' experience and competency cannot be provided because of confidentiality constraints.
Stated by Sussex Medical ChambersUnable to actThe respondent said that a constraint prevented them from taking the relevant action.
Surrey
Concerns raised2
Failure to clearly explain and differentiate the Physician Associate role from medically qualified practitioners
Failure to inform patients and families that Physician Associates are not medically qualified
This report raised 8 other concerns. They are not shown here because they do not form part of this recurring concern.
Responses linked to these concerns
Each statement is shown once, even when linked to more than one concern.
Actions described in response An action is something a respondent says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to the concern raised.7
Action
Publish a summary of existing guidance on deploying medical associate professionals.
Stated by NHS EnglandStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 February 2025.
Action
Issue a position statement setting standards for Physician Associate supervision, identification, patient selection and regulation.
Stated by Royal College of Emergency MedicineStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 February 2025.
Action
Publish interim guidance requiring physician associates to explain their roles, supervision and educational or clinical background to patients, families, carers and colleagues.
Stated by Royal College of PhysiciansStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 February 2025.
Action
Identify Physician Associates through distinctive clothing, lanyards, and explicit introductions that clarify they are not doctors.
Stated by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 February 2025.
Action
Install Emergency Department signage identifying clinical team members by their scrub colours.
Stated by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 February 2025.
Action
Clearly distinguish doctors, physician associates and anaesthesia associates on public registers and in register searches.
Stated by General Medical CouncilStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 February 2025.
Action
Clearly communicate that physician associates are not doctors and must not replace doctors.
Stated by Royal College of PhysiciansStated completedThe respondent said that this action was complete when they made their response on 26 February 2025.
Respondent positions A position is what a respondent says about the concern when they do not describe a specific action.5
Position
Public terminology, role understanding and second-opinion rights fall outside the regulatory scope.
Stated by Care Quality CommissionOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Position
The General Medical Council is best placed to address public terminology, role understanding and second-opinion rights.
Stated by Care Quality CommissionRedirects responsibilityThe respondent said that another organisation was responsible for deciding or taking action.
Position
Existing NICE and GMC standards require healthcare professionals to identify their role to patients, addressing role-identification concerns.
Stated by Department of Health and Social CareExisting arrangements considered sufficientThe respondent said that existing arrangements were sufficient, so no further action was needed.
Position
“Physician Associate” is a nationally sanctioned term describing healthcare professionals with recognised training, rather than an inherently misleading title.
Stated by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustDisputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.
Position
The Trust considers that it has explained everything within its remit regarding patients’ and families’ ability to seek a second medical opinion.
Stated by Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS TrustOutside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
Pin
Get email alerts
Request correction
Includes failures by healthcare providers to disclose clearly and appropriately to patients or their families the clinician’s professional qualification or status and materially relevant experience where that information affects informed care decisions, expectations of competence or the ability to seek an appropriate second opinion.
