AQW 44330/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 20/04/2026
Answered On Date: 01/06/2026
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Health to detail when the Physician Associate Masters course at Magee was last assessed in terms of its value for money in contributing to Health and Social Care NI.

Answer:

My Departmental officials hold regular six-monthly review meetings with Ulster University, which cover all healthcare programmes commissioned by my Department from UU including the MSc in Physician Associate Studies. These meetings are used to review the programme and address any emerging issues.

I am aware of the very high calibre of students graduating from the PA programme at UU. To provide assurance on the continuing value of the profession, my officials have been undertaking an evaluation of the employment of PAs across Northern Ireland. Officials are currently considering this evaluation, alongside the recently completed UK-wide Leng Review of PAs, to ensure that the HSC workforce achieves the best and safest skills mix across all clinical settings.