Medical Protection operates a service for the media who are looking for information or commentary on key issues affecting doctors and other healthcare professionals.
English law on gross negligence manslaughter in healthcare must move towards Scottish position
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The law that is applied in gross negligence manslaughter (GNM) cases in healthcare should move towards Scotland’s comparable offence of Culpable Homicide, where charges are only brought against doctors if an act is proved to be intentional, reckless or grossly careless, the Medical Protection Society (MPS) said today.
Evidence to the Professor Sir Norman Williams Review
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The Department of Health & Social Care recently launched a review in to the application of Gross Negligence manslaughter charges in healthcare settings. Read the full MPS submission to this review here.
UPDATE: Eight months after the UK Government announced its intention to provide state-backed indemnity for GPs in England, we look at what we know about the planned scheme.
The MPTS has concluded that the GMC’s allegations against surgeon David Sellu, whose gross negligent manslaughter case was quashed in November 2016, are not proved.
Prescribers are responsible for all prescriptions they sign, including repeat prescriptions. Here Julie Price, head of risk management and education consultancy at Medical Protection, identifies the risks associated with nurse prescribers.
New data protection rules are coming into force on 25 May. Dr Rachel Birch, medicolegal adviser at Medical Protection, looks at two key areas that are changing.
The Olympic, Paralympic, and Commonwealth Games are major events in the world’s sporting and cultural calendar. Almost inevitably, a number of Medical Protection members may be attending the Games.
New defences for pharmacists who make accidental medication errors should be extended to doctors
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Commenting on the announcement that the Department of Health and Social Care will look at new measures to tackle medication errors, Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, Senior Medicolegal Adviser at the Medical Protection Society, said...
The role of non-clinical staff in modern general practice is expanding. Julie Price, head of risk management and education consultancy at Medical Protection, looks at the risks of such staff managing correspondence
Commitment to fixed recoverable costs scheme is welcomed
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The Government has announced that an expert group will be formed to work on introducing a new cap on the amount of costs that lawyers can recover in clinical negligence cases. The proposed cap will be applied to all cases up to £25,000 and will help to save the NHS up to £45 million a year.
PHE antibiotics campaign welcomed by GPs but a third still experience anger over prescriptions
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While nearly 70% of GPs in England say the ‘Keep Antibiotics Working’ campaign is useful, almost a third (32%) say they still frequently experience anger or frustration from patients when advised that antibiotics are not needed, according to a snapshot survey by the Medical Protection Society (MPS).
GMC should remain dedicated regulator in reform plans but opportunity for improvement must be seized
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While there is need for significant improvements to the GMC’s Fitness to Practise processes, and the legal framework which underpins regulation, the GMC should remain the dedicated regulator of the medical profession, the Medical Protection Society (MPS) said today.
MPS: Government review into how gross negligence manslaughter is applied in healthcare is important and timely
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Jeremy Hunt MP has announced an urgent review into how gross negligence manslaughter is applied in healthcare, following concerns around the Dr Bawa-Garba case.
E-portfolios and the Dr Bawa-Garba case – Dr Pallavi Bradshaw clarifies
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The judgement from the High Court to erase Dr Bawa-Garba from the medical register is disappointing and its implications will understandably be of great concern to the healthcare community.
Medical Protection shares concerns of Dr Bawa-Garba case
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Last week, the High Court handed down the judgement of the case of Dr Bawa-Garba vs the GMC. The judgement concluded that Dr Bawa-Garba should be erased from the medical register.
E-portfolios remain an important part of a doctor’s professional development
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Commenting on the concerns around e-portfolios, following the judgement on the Dr Bawa-Garba case – Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, Senior Medicolegal Adviser at Medical Protection said...
- when member benefits are much more than a ‘nice to have’.
As a GP we know you’re facing constant pressure, with greater patient demands, increased regulatory control and the ever-looming risk of a complaint being made against you if something goes wrong. This is why we work hard to try and limit the stress that members face and support them wherever we can.
MPS response to judgement on the case of Dr Bawa-Garba vs GMC
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The High Court has handed down the judgement of the case of Dr Bawa Garba Vs the GMC. The judgement concludes that Dr Bawa Garba should be erased from the medical register.
Medical Protection responds to the GMC’s ‘State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK’ 2015 report
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Medical Protection welcomes the insights which can be drawn from the General Medical Council’s (GMC) ‘State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK’ 2015 report.1 The report highlighted that of 2,750 complaints that the GMC investigated in 2014, 1,428 closed without further action. This means that more than half of all complaints that the GMC investigated closed with no further action on the practitioner. It was also reported that the average GMC case length was 6.2 months.
Fear of legal action impacting on way GPs practise
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A significant number of GPs say the fear of being sued is a major factor in their decisions to order more tests, make more referrals or prescribe medication – according to survey results published by a leading medical protection organisation.
MPS response to GMC State of Medical Education and Practice report
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The General Medical Council’s State of Medical Education and Practice 2017 report has been published today. Commenting, Dr Pallavi Bradshaw, Senior Medicolegal Adviser at the Medical Protection Society, said:
“This report shows that the vast majority of GMC investigations are closed without action, the end result being that over a thousand doctors go through a needless, stressful and slow process each year...
MPS sets out key asks to Government to ensure new indemnity scheme meets GP’s needs
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The Government should aim to provide absolute clarity on what and who will be covered in the new state-backed indemnity scheme for GPs in England, and ensure the scheme is set up in doctors’ interests, the Medical Protection Society (MPS) told the Westminster Health Forum.
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