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State-backed indemnity, which started in April 2019, only provides indemnity for clinical negligence claims arising from primary care work under an NHS England or Wales contract. You may have heard it called CNSGP or NHS resolution.
GPs still need the expert guidance MDU membership provides, such as support with patient complaints, GMC referrals, ombudsman investigations, performers' list actions, coroners' inquests and even criminal investigations.
State-backed indemnity will not provide:
In the first year of the scheme operating the MDU opened over 6,500 new case-files on behalf of GPs and their staff relating to matters that were not covered by the new scheme such as patient complaints and GMC investigations.
The MDU is still in discussions with the English and Welsh governments about arrangements for existing liabilities of GP members in England and Wales for claims arising from incidents before 1 April 2019.
Neither government has proposed a solution that would make good on the promise to protect GPs from the rising cost of claims, but the MDU remains committed to reaching a solution that is acceptable for all our members.
The scheme is not intended to provide indemnity for this work.
We know that some types of fee-paying work are part and parcel of a GP's job. That's why MDU membership includes indemnity for the types of fee-paying work that GPs would ordinarily undertake.
Yes you can. You have a continued professional obligation to have indemnity in place for all clinical work you do, including work which is not indemnified under the state-backed indemnity scheme. Simply tell us what private work you intend to do when you approach your renewal and we will adjust your subscription accordingly.
The MDU can typically indemnify the work in the list below. Where the services relate to the provision of care to patients, they must be patients registered at the practice (and only occasionally non-registered patients such as temporary residents). If this is the case, the MDU does not have a cap on the income that can be earned from this work.
The activities listed below are likely to require payment of an additional subscription. GP members doing such activities should contact our membership team to confirm that we can indemnify the work and whether an additional subscription is payable.
If all of the care resulting in the claim was provided after 1 April 2019 then you should contact NHS Resolution in England or NHS Wales Shared Partnership - Legal & Risk Services.
For all other matters (medico-legal advice, complaints, GMC investigations, Coroner’s inquiries, police investigations etc) and for claims where the care in question was provided before 1 April 2019 you should contact the MDU as you did before.
You are welcome to contact the MDU’s medico-legal advisory team to gain their input into any statements you have been asked to make in relation to a claim being handled by NHS Resolution. However if you have everything you need there is no requirement to contact the MDU.
There is no change as the devolved governments in Scotland and Northern Ireland have not introduced a state-backed indemnity scheme for GPs and as yet have not indicated an intention to do so.
In our experience, a GP is likely to receive claims for clinical negligence infrequently in their career, whereas the likelihood of needing assistance with a complaint or other professional matter such as GMC investigations, is much higher.
GPs should not compromise their own protection.
Support with GMC fitness to practise investigations.
Indemnity for work not covered by the NHS state-backed indemnity scheme, including activities such as writing reports as well as any private clinical work you do.
We know how it feels when you get 'that call'.
Watch our video which follows a fictitious case, based on real MDU files. It demonstrates how a seemingly simple patient examination can lead to multiple investigations.
We can offer GPs support and guidance that state-backed indemnity will not provide.
State-backed indemnity will provide support for clinical negligence claims for GPs and primary care staff arising from contracted NHS duties in England and Wales.
State-backed indemnity will not provide support for complaints made against any practice staff, costs associated with matters brought to the GMC or other registration bodies, or any criminal investigations.
Yes. State-backed indemnity scheme provides support for clinical negligence claims for primary care staff arising from contracted NHS duties in England and Wales.
All practice staff working under an NHS contract will have access to the state-backed scheme for indemnity for clinical negligence claims but there are elements that the state scheme does not support. Nurses would not be supported with a disciplinary hearing at the NMC for example.
Nurses in extended roles, paramedics, pharmacists and physician associates undertake more advanced duties and should remain in MDU membership to access the other benefits of membership, such as representation at NMC or other registration body hearings, support with complaints, coroners’ investigations, access to 24 hour medico-legal support and access to indemnity for fee paying work on patients registered at the practice. They should also declare any work they do on patients not registered at the practice which may incur an additional subscription.
Practice nurse membership is no longer free, although existing free members will continue until their renewal date. Practice nurses are welcome to remain in MDU membership to obtain the services highlighted above. While retaining MDU membership is optional for practice nurses for work indemnified by the state scheme (and for primary care services provided to practice patients which fall outside the state scheme such as travel vaccinations), they would need to retain MDU membership to receive indemnity for any work they do on patients not registered at the practice. This work should be declared to the MDU.
We will continue to support members (both partners and practice managers) in their management of medico-legal matters arising from care provided by all members of the practice team.
We have enhanced our GROUPCARE scheme and introduced new and regional benefits for practices. Find out more about GROUPCARE.
Yes. If practice nurses are doing fee paying/private vaccinations on NHS patients registered at the practice they don’t require individual membership for this. This means that they would rely on their practice partners’ membership to support a claim should an incident arise. If practice nurses are doing fee paying/private vaccinations on non-registered patients (such as private vaccination or travel clinics) they would need individual paying membership.
NHS Resolution has indicated that providing work-related vaccinations such as flu and hepatitis B to practice staff would not usually fall within the scope of the CNSGP scheme, as such services are not generally provided under a GMS, PMS or APMS contract.
MDU membership includes indemnity for providing such services to staff working at the practice at no additional charge (including where such services are provided by nurses or phlebotomists based at the practice). It is important that all GP partners have their own indemnity in place in respect of their potential vicarious liability for such services.
GPs or other clinical colleagues are providing work-related clinical services to members of the practice team to should follow their normal procedures for dealing with unregistered patients.
Real-life member experiences where state-backed indemnity wouldn't have been enough.
The MDU supported member at an inquest and a HSIB investigation.
The MDU helped a member respond to complaints to NHS England and the GMC.
The MDU provided guidance following a complaint to the ombudsman.
The MDU supported the member during a coroner’s inquest and clinical negligence claim.
The MDU assisted with a Coroner’s report and a response to a negligence claim.
The MDU assisted a member following complaints made to the GMC and NHS England.
The MDU advised on how to deal with a complaint.