MDU responds to GP state indemnity announcement

Following today’s announcement about the introduction of state indemnity as part of the 2019/20 primary care contract for GPs, Dr Christine Tomkins, Medical Defence Union (MDU) chief executive, said:

“The government has today confirmed that it is to introduce state indemnity in April 2019 for future claims arising from NHS primary care and we await the regulations which will establish the future liability scheme. We have always made it clear that the promise to protect GPs from the unsustainable cost of indemnity and a tort system which is out of control requires that existing liabilities are included in the state scheme too, as they were for NHS hospital doctors when state indemnity came in for them in 1990. Discussions on these past historic liabilities continue.

“The future liability scheme announced today makes it clear the new scheme will be limited to clinical negligence claims arising from NHS activities for those within the scope of the scheme. GPs will need to continue their MDO membership in respect of activities and services not covered by the scheme. It does not extend to professional and regulatory difficulties that GPs can face including GMC investigations, coroner’s inquests, performers’ list actions and criminal investigations. GPs will also need indemnity for clinical negligence claims arising from any non-NHS work that they carry out. For support in these areas it is vital that GPs continue with their medical defence organisation membership.”

For further information on the introduction of state indemnity see www.themdu.com

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