e GMC has called on Doctors to check their insurance and indemnity cover as the Government launches state-backed Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice (CNSGP).

Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice 

The scheme came into effect from the 1st April 2019 and is a new state-backed indemnity scheme for general practice operated by NHS Resolution.

The indemnity scheme covers NHS services provided by general practice. It covers clinical negligence liabilities arising in general practice in relation to incidents that occur on or after 1 April 2019.

Doctors have a statutory requirement to make sure their insurance and indemnity cover is adequate, and of sufficient value to cover any claims made on their clinical practice in the UK.

It is therefore necessary for any doctor covered by the Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice to maintain membership of a medical defence organisation, indemnity provider or insurer to be covered for any non-NHS or private work they do.

Updated GMC Guidance

The General Medical Council (GMC) has updated its guidance for doctors on insurance and indemnity in light of CNSGP.  It highlighted two main changes to its updated insurance and indemnity guidance:

• Doctors need to consider whether they need additional cover as the new state-backed schemes do not cover:
  • Private or non-NHS work (if a doctor is treating NHS patients privately, they must check with their employer what indemnity is in place).
  • Support or advice such as for criminal, disciplinary or fitness to practise investigations.
  • Employment or contractual disputes.
  • Liabilities that arise from a doctor’s practice before they joined a state back scheme (i.e. 1 April 2019 for GPs in England and Wales).

• Doctors who hold, or plan to hold, European-wide indemnity cover arranged outside the UK must check whether their policy will still cover their practice if and when the UK leaves the EU.

The GMC’s updated guidance also applies to doctors with European-based cover, which may be affected if and when the UK leaves the European Union (EU).