Quick facts

History

  • MDU: Medical Defence Union.
  • A mutual not-for-profit organisation.
  • Established 1885.
  • First medical defence organisation in the world.

Today

  • Chief executive, as of 2021: Dr Matthew Lee.
  • Chairman: Dr Paul Riordan-Eva.
  • Membership made up of over 200,000 doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals.

Statistics

During 2021:

  • Our award winning membership team received 102,000 calls with 81% answered within 20 seconds.
  • 100% of 80,000 emails and letters were responded to within five working days.
  • 85% of medical claims were successfully defended being closed without payment.
  • Over 99% of member requests for help with medico-legal issues are supported (over a five year period).
  • Our team of expert advisers, who are doctors and dentists themselves, answered 23,000 calls to our medico-legal advice line. 
  • 99% of members calling our advice line during working hours were speaking to a medico-legal adviser within 20 seconds.
  • In medical tribunal cases at the MPTS, MDU solicitors representing members achieved no finding of impairment in 42% of cases compared to the average of 21.5% (2016-2020).
  • City and Guilds group awarded us with two Princess Royal Training awards for our membership development and medico-legal assistant training programmes.