Writing to Your MP – Advice for MAPs

As UMAPs prepares for our judicial review against the government and NHS England (likely to be heard in the autumn), it is vital that we brief as many MPs as possible on the situation facing Medical Associates and why the recommendations of the Leng Review are so detrimental.

This will put pressure on the government to reconsider its approach and, hopefully, work with UMAPs to create a sustainable path forward that addresses conditions for MAPs in the workplace and improves employment prospects.

As your trade union, UMAPs holds regular meetings with members of both the House of Commons and House of Lords to update them on the situation and discuss ways in which parliamentarians can support us. However, there are 650 members of parliament, and we can’t reach them all. That’s why we’re asking for your help.

All MPs have a duty to help their constituents. Many hold regular drop-in sessions (called surgeries) to meet with voters and hear their concerns. By meeting with your MP you can bring issues like the Leng Review, MAP redundancies, and royal college guidance to their attention. You can then encourage them to engage with UMAPs and support our cause.

For those living in Wales, Scotland, or Northern Ireland, it’s equally as important that you write to your MS, MSP, or MLA, as well as your elected MP in Westminster, as health related issues are also matters for the devolved governments to discuss and address.

Writing to Your MP

You can find your MP’s email address on their website or by checking ‘Contact Your MP’ on the parliamentary website. You can also use this page to find out who your local MP is if you’re not sure.

When writing to them, it’s important to always include the address you are registered to vote at, so they know that you live in their constituency. MPs cannot take up requests on behalf of people live in another constituency.

When you write to your MP, you can ask to meet at their constituency offices or for a telephone conversation. This will ensure you get the best possible opportunity to explain your concerns and they can ask any follow-up questions. You should also check on their website if they are hosting a constituency surgery and if you need to pre-book attendance.

Try to make your email as brief and personal as possible. If you send a formulaic email, you can expect a formulaic response in return. In the first instance you will likely hear back from a caseworker or assistant. Be polite and answer any questions they have but try to insist on a meeting with the MP themselves.

Format

Although you should strive to make your email as personal as possible. You can follow the below structure as a guide.

• Introduce yourself: where you live, how long you’ve lived in the constituency, what your job is and where you work.
• Request a meeting to discuss the problems you are facing.
• Explain the problem you are facing: redundancy, restricted scope of practice, uncertainty about the future.
• Explain the situation for MAPs generally: the bullying by BMA aligned doctors, redundancies following RCGP guidance and the Leng Review, lack of opportunities.
• Explain the effect this has had on you: personally, professionally, financially, and how it has impacted on your wellbeing. Only include information you are happy to share, but please remember that honest statements tend to be more impactful.

Example letter - DO NOT COPY PASTE

Re: Request for Meeting – Support for Physician Associates

Dear MP,

I hope this finds you well. My name is Joe Bloggs. I’m a Physician Associate living at 14 Any Street in Sometown. Until recently I worked at the Sunnyside Surgery but after the government accepted the recommendations of the Leng Review in July last year, I’ve been made redundant despite an excellent clinical record.

I’m writing to request a meeting to discuss what support you can offer for my situation, as well as to other Physician Associates in our constituency who now face a very uncertain future.

I’ve worked as a PA for ten years. Before the Leng Review I loved my job: I had great relationships with patients and always got excellent feedback from the practice partners. However, because of the government’s decision to massively restrict PAs’ scope of work, the practice have elected to let me go. I’m currently contesting this decision as part of an employment tribunal brought forward by my trade union, UMAPs.

I have two young children at home and am very worried about what the future will bring for them. Very few practices are hiring PAs now and I cannot afford to retrain. This situation has been very damaging to my mental health, and I am struggling psychologically with the loss of my career, and the long-term implications on my family and finances.

The Leng Review found no evidence that PAs are unsafe or ineffective, yet it has completely undermined our work, preventing us from treating undifferentiated (undiagnosed) patients and has renamed us ‘Assistants’ which feels incredibly demeaning. The government implemented this review without any assessment of how it would affect Associates or indeed patients. There are now 900 fewer PAs working in primary care than in April 2024 and two in five PAs report worsening wait times in their practices.

UMAPs is taking the government and NHS England to judicial review over this decision, with a hearing expected in the autumn. In the meantime, I’d very much welcome the opportunity to explain more about my situation and discuss ways in which you can support the Medical Associates who live in our constituency.

Thanks very much and I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,
Joe

Associates Access To Personal Medical Care

For Associates who are currently feeling uncomfortable scheduling an appointment with their own GP, we have partnered with a trusted provider:

If you would like to avail yourself of this option, then please visit www.ivrystreet.co.uk and submit a new e-consult request using the Accurx link.

Please make clear in your request that you are a PA or AA. The practice’s admin team will then call you back and complete a temporary registration.

The practice will need your consent to information sharing with your usual GP, especially if referral to secondary care services are required. The service is suitable only for problems that can be dealt with via remote consultations and is not for severe illness or acute mental health crises. In the latter case please call 111 option 2 instead.

UMAPs EAP: Employee Assistance Programme

We know that the challenges facing Medical Associate Professionals (MAPs) can have a real impact on wellbeing. That’s why we’ve partnered with Health Assured | Wisdom Wellbeing, the UK and Ireland’s largest provider of employee wellbeing solutions, and the only national EAP provider accredited by the BACP and NCPS.

This confidential Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is available 24/7, 365 days a year to UMAPs members, their partners, and dependents.

How to Access Support

• 24/7 Helpline: Call 0800 028 0199 any time, day or night.
• Wisdom App: Log in using your member access code. Download here.
• When you call/set up the app, you may be asked to confirm your group (MHA357367) for verification and to provide your Wellness Word (if requested, defined on your ‘Account’ page).

What’s Included

As a UMAPs member, you and your family can access:

• Counselling support – 24/7 online, telephone, live chat, and in-person counselling.
• Critical incident support – trauma-trained counsellors available in emergencies.
• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – structured programmes, online resources, and telephonic CBT.
• Bereavement support – including counselling and legal guidance.
• Legal advice – consumer rights, housing, property, family law, wills, and more.
• Debt & financial support – including budgeting, credit, pensions, and financial coaching.
• Medical information – support from clinicians and access to a nationwide network of practitioners.
• Work-life advice – childcare, eldercare, relationships, and family challenges.

The Wisdom Wellbeing App

Download the Wisdom Wellbeing app for iOS or Android and access:

• Live chat with a counsellor
• Wellbeing articles, videos, and podcasts
• Interactive mood tracker
• Mini health checks and 4-week health plans
• Guided meditation and soundscapes
• Fitness and nutrition support, including recipes and exercise videos
• Access to BrightTV – a monthly wellbeing video series with guest speakers

FAQs

Is it confidential?
Yes. All calls and sessions are completely confidential. The only exception is where there is a risk of serious harm, in which case information may be shared with relevant authorities.

Are counsellors qualified?
Yes. 86% of Health Assured counsellors hold accreditation with BACP, BABCP, IACP, UKCP, NCS, or BPS. The remainder are fully registered and working towards accreditation.

What kind of issues can I get help with?

• Stress, anxiety, and depression
• Bereavement and loss
• Relationships and family issues
• Housing and tenancy disputes
• Financial or legal challenges
• Coping with workplace pressures

Who in my family is covered?
Partners, spouses, and dependents aged 16–24 in full-time education are included.