PA Voices Forum Meeting Minutes – 2nd October
Thanks to all who attended – your continued support is greatly appreciated!
PAPB Meeting Notes
- The meeting opened with a discussion around the most recent PA Programme Board Meeting minutes.
- Members highlighted concerns regarding the lack of PA representation on the PAPB, and expressed that PAs can feel invisible and unheard within wider discussions in the workforce.
- It was agreed that the experiences of the PAs should be better represented, particularly where discussions being had around the role and working conditions.
Critical and Substantial
- Members discussed how the PA role is changing as a result of the critical and substantial changes being introduced by local authorities in relation to care provision.
- The impact of these changes should be clearly highlighted within the questionnaire, including how changes to care provision and funding are affecting PAs and the people they support.
National PA Day
- The group discussed National PA day and the opportunity of the four nations of the UK to come together to celebrate and recognise the PA role.
- PANS will be holding events in Ayrshire in partnership with AILN around this time
Training, Regulation and Recognition
- A significant part of the discussion focused on training, regulation and the expectations placed onto PAs
- One members describe the PA role as feeling like a “Free for All”, particularly in relation to regulated training and differing expectations on PAs compared to other care roles.
- Members questions why certain training is expected of care home assistants, while PAs may be expected to undertake similar duties without the same level of training or support.
- There was concern that PAs and sometimes be viewed as a ‘cheap healthcare option’, despite carrying out responsibilities that can involve risk.
- Members emphasised that PAs are willing and capable of carrying out a wide range of tasks, but there needs to be clarity around what they can safely do and what training is required when they are faced with situations outside of their experience.
- The difficulty in identifying and accessing appropriate training was highlighted and PAs feel it is unclear what specific training they require as it differs for each employer.
- Employers and families may themselves be unsure about what training the PA needs
- It was noted that Family members may traditionally manage medication and may pass down their own methods and practices to PAs without having formal training themselves.
- Although PAs feel competent with this, it is a concern that errors or unsafe methods can be passed down through informal training.
- Members questioned why SSSC regulated care settings would not allow someone to undertake certain duties without appropriate training, while similar expectations are placed on PAs without the same safeguards.
- Members agreed that moving and assisting training should be mandatory for PAs. It was suggested that training should be specifically designed for PAs and their employers, rather than simply adapting training intended for other care environments.
Questionnaire
- The group discussed potential questions and themes to be included in the upcoming questionnaire. Suggested areas include- Experiences of lone working (what are the risks? are PAs adequately supported?)
– Training
– Critical and substantial council changes (how is this affecting PAs?)
– Flexibility of budgets to achieve outcomes
‼️ We kindly ask that all members of the PA Voices Forum forward us suggestions for questions if you have not already! We want to shape this questionnaire around your role, what support you need and changes you would like to see in the PA workforce.
Please submit your ideas to pans@wea.ac.uk by the 16th October 2026 ‼️
If you have any comments to add about the discussions had in the meeting, please email Chloe on pans@wea.ac.uk