Pas Just What The Doctor Ordered Anthem Health

should have assistants who can order tests, dispense medicines and even make diagnoses, says a new health think tank.

The Australian Health Workforce Institute has called for the introduction of US-style physicians assistants (PAs) to help reduce reliance on overseas-trained doctors.The university has teamed up with Queensland Health to create jobs for the graduates. The South Australian Government is considering trialling PAs.

But Peter Brooks, faculty of health sciences dean at the University of Queensland and interim director of the Australian Health Workforce Institute, said PAs take about half the time of a medical student to train and can perform the less complex tasks that take up so much of a doctor's time.Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the issue of physicans' assistants was "not high on my list of priorities".