PATIENTS of Skipton's Fisher Medical Centre are being treated by a "new class of medic".

The three "physician associates" are all science graduates who have received two years of rigorous medical training.

Working closely with the centre's doctors, they can carry out examinations, diagnose ailments, request tests and make referrals.

They can also co-prescribe medicine for a number of common ailments - freeing up the GP's time to attend to patients with more complex needs.

The PAs include Keith Kehoe, who was recruited from Alaska where he was one of a few qualified medics working a large rural area near Anchorage.

Alison Linden, secretary of Fisher Medical's Patient Participation Group, said the PAs had been working in Skipton since the start of the year and had been a great success.

"It's not often that Skipton can say it is at the forefront of innovation and embracing new ideas, but that's exactly what is happening at Fisher Medical," she said.

"The PAs have provided much needed additional appointments at a time of increasing demand and have allowed the practice to work more efficiently within the constraints of both time and money."

PAs have been used in both the United States and Canada for 50 years, where they can sign prescriptions and even carry out minor surgery.

In the UK, they are still relatively rare.

Health secretary Jeremy Hunt has said in a time when the NHS is treating record numbers of patients, a new class of medic could free up doctors' time, but some patient groups have warned of it being "doctors on the cheap".

Linden Veitch, practice manager at Fisher Medical, said feedback from patients had been very good.

"The Patient Participation Group has been working with the practice to monitor this new development, " she said.

"Many patients have gone out of their way to tell us how pleased they have been with their PA appointments, so it seems that despite the concerns noted in the national media, patients here seem to be very happy with the PA service at their surgery."