We all know doctors and other medical professionals work hard in order to provide a quality healthcare service. Just as with every industry however, things will at times go wrong. If a patient believes they have suffered physical or mental harm as a result of a medical professional’s negligence, it’s important that the appropriate insurance or medical indemnity cover is in place. Having adequate protection in place will ensure legal fees are covered whether the case is won or not, including any compensation that may be granted to the patient in question.
Do I need medical indemnity insurance?
If you work for a trust or board within the NHS (National Health Service), or for the HSC (Health and Social Care) trust in Northern Ireland, you will have a certain level of protection automatically in place. In England specifically, this is provided through the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts, otherwise referred to as CNST; the NHS Resolution administers this.
In Wales, indemnity insurance is provided by Welsh Risk Pool Services and in Scotland the Clinical Negligence and Other Risks Indemnity Scheme provide a basic level of protection. Northern Ireland is slightly different in that each HSC Trust will assume the role which is funded by the Department of Health, Social Security and Public Safety.
You’re lucky enough to receive this basic level of protection even if you’re a locum for an NHS trust or board, which in effect means you don’t legally need to gain further protection yourself. You should however, consider whether it’s worth taking out additional personal medical indemnity cover to ensure you’re adequately protected all round.
When medical indemnity IS compulsory#
If you’re practicing privately, you will need to arrange adequate cover. This is even the case if you work within NHS or HSC premises. Medical Indemnity cover will also be required if you carry out private work alongside your NHS or HSC work. You may even find that independent healthcare providers will ask for evidence of an adequate cover plan in place before you begin working with them. Once again, while some independent practices may provide a certain level of cover, the smart choice is to consider whether it offers you enough protection for your needs.
Medical indemnity cover is the smart choice
If you’re a practicing doctor or medical professional in the UK, you MUST have an adequate insurance or indemnity cover plan in place. It needs to cover the entire scope of your medical practice too. The cover you’ll need to get will of course very much depend on your particular profession however, here at Servca, we offer bespoke plans for individual roles with cardiologist indemnity insurance to clinical trial insurance and more.
The benefits of having such a plan in place go beyond merely protecting you during a negligence claim. You’ll also find yourself gaining access to unrivalled legal advice and support at any time.
For a quick quote on the services we provide here at Servca, simply jump online today and fill out our short, online form. We’ll be in touch with you shortly. Better yet, contact us today on 020 78469010.
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