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The prospect of being sued is enough to set your pulse racing. But as well as a claim, a single adverse incident can lead to patient complaints, GMC referrals, Ombudsman investigations, performers' list actions, coroners' inquests and even criminal investigations – all at the same time.
If you're a GP in England and Wales you might be thinking that upcoming state indemnity will come to your aid if you are faced with a GMC investigation or an inquest. But you'd be mistaken.
We do not anticipate that the new state scheme will extend to the many professional and regulatory difficulties that GPs can face. For support in these areas members will need to continue their MDU membership.
We continue to negotiate the detail of the scheme with the Government and we will be writing to our GP members about their MDU membership when we know more.
MDU responds to GP state indemnity announcement
See FAQs published by the DHSC
We know how it feels when you get 'that call'.
Watch our new video which follows a fictitious case, based on real MDU files. It demonstrates how a seemingly simple patient examination can lead to multiple investigations.
This is not a prospect that anybody would want to face on their own, but MDU can offer support and guidance that state-backed indemnity is unlikely to provide.
We anticipate that state indemnity for primary care in England and Wales will not include:
See how one incident could set in motion a whole series of investigations.
We know how it feels when you get 'that call', and the MDU can offer support and guidance that state-backed indemnity is unlikely to provide.
Read more
It's not unusual for one incident to lead to several separate investigations, and each one can be extremely stressful for those involved. Our guidance can help you cope.
MDU chief executive Dr Christine Tomkins discusses the current medico-legal environment and how we are using our voice to make sure the new state indemnity scheme is as fair as can be to our members.
A doctor needed our help when a patient died after being administered an excessive dose of diamorphine.
It's a sobering reality of medical practice that doctors can find themselves in the firing line, even when they have done nothing wrong.
Don't leave your career exposed by relying on state indemnity alone.
As doctors ourselves, we know that even after the arrival of state indemnity you will still need the expert support and guidance that MDU membership provides.
Watch our video about the type of investigations that can follow one clinical incident. Mind the gap after state indemnity.