Case Study: The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust improves junior doctor training and continuity of care with NHS Employers

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust - Customer Case Study

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust worked with NHS Employers to address rising workload intensity in its urology department after a merger centralised services and triggered a red outlier in the GMC national training survey. The pressure on junior doctors was affecting both training opportunities and safe patient care, prompting the trust to look for a new staffing model.

NHS Employers supported the trust as it developed a business case and recruited two physician associates into the urology team. The PAs were integrated through local induction and teaching, and took on ward-round duties, procedures, discharge coordination, investigations, and support for unwell patients, reducing junior doctor workload and increasing their time in outpatients and theatres. This improved continuity of care, strengthened handover, and gave junior doctors more curriculum coverage, while also creating development opportunities for the PAs themselves.

The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust