STUDENTS provided vital support to hospital doctors in Worcestershire as 'physician associates'.

A group of trainee clinicians are benefiting from a training course and placement programme run by the University of Worcester in collaboration with Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust.

The Physician Associate MSc, which began in September 2014, allows students to earn a Master’s degree and gain valuable experience working in a variety of roles across the NHS.

During the second year of the programme, students are placed into full-time, supported roles at the county’s acute hospitals.

A physician associate is a relatively new role which has been developed to help fill workforce gaps in the NHS. Once qualified, associates will support doctors in the diagnosis and management of patients.

Natasha Kamboh, trainee Physician Associate at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust said: “I have thoroughly enjoyed my placements within the Alexandra and Worcestershire Royal Hospitals; from ward rounds to emergency situations in A&E and first-assisting in surgery. "Overall, it has been an invaluable experience and I look forward to qualifying and getting my first job.”

Dr Andy Phillips, Interim Chief Medical Officer at Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, said: “I am thrilled that our trust is playing a part in the development of this new role.

"We are currently hosting six physician associate students in a number of specialities across our hospitals, from emergency medicine to surgery, critical care and women’s and children’s services.

“Our doctors and training departments have embraced the trainee physician associates and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with them as they progress through the course.”

Jane Perry, Associate Head of the Institute of Health and Society at the University of Worcester said the collaboration would see the first students graduating at the end of next year.

She added: "Physician Associates are a complementary addition to the NHS workforce and have been welcomed across many disciplines in the trust and supported in their placements."

To find out more about the Physician Associate MSc course, visit www.worc.ac.uk/courses/physician-associate-msc.html.