Prescribing continues to be one of the top five risks in general practice based on Clinical Risk Self Assessments (CRSAs) conducted by the Medical Protection Society (MPS) at more than 150 practices across the UK and Ireland in 2013.

A YouGov survey commissioned by the Medical Protection Society (MPS) has revealed that 67% of over 1400 respondents from England say they have not received the leaflet from NHS England explaining the new care.data system.1 Furthermore, 45% do not understand care.data from what they have read or heard.

A year since the publication of the Francis Inquiry into Mid Staffs, the Medical Protection Society warns that the current policy direction may sustain a culture of fear in hospital wards instead of improving it.

The Medical Protection Society (MPS) has launched a new free advice app to help address the rise in claims and complaints.

Following a debate in the House of Lords yesterday, the Medical Protection Society (MPS) warns that the new wilful neglect criminal offences could threaten doctors’ clinical judgment. Whilst MPS agrees that doctors should face tough sanctions for causing deliberate harm to patients, it opposes the new criminal offences because they will have unintended and damaging consequences.

A week after the government responded to the Francis Inquiry, a survey of hospital doctors conducted by the Medical Protection Society has highlighted the enormous task facing the government in their bid to create the open culture the Berwick Review considered missing and needed in the NHS.

As MPs discuss online medical records in the Commons Chamber today (26 November), the Medical Protection Society reiterates its concerns that without appropriate safeguards, what could be a revolutionary innovation could lead to patients unable to benefit from the new online system.1

Following the government’s announcement that there will be a new criminal offence for wilful neglect, Dr Stephanie Bown, Director of Policy and Communications at the Medical Protection Society, said, 'The Medical Protection Society has long argued that better care for patients in the NHS would come through creating the right culture, which cannot be achieved through legislation. We welcome the explicit recognition by government that nothing can be achieved without a cultural change; in our view everything else must support this objective.

MPS welcomes the insights which can be drawn from the findings of the GMC’s third report – ‘State of Medical Education and Practice in the UK’. Of note is the finding that 46% of complaints investigated were against GPs – more than any other speciality but only accounted for 35% of sanctions or warnings. Communication with patients was a feature in 29% of allegations against GPs.

Dr Stephanie Bown, MPS Director of Policy and Communications says:

We responded to the NHS Employers' consultation on maintaining high professional standards in the modern NHS, which closed on 6 September 2013.

MPS and DPL respond to the call for information on ‘How can professional regulation encourage healthcare professionals and social workers to be more candid when care goes wrong?’

An MPS survey of over 350 junior doctors who are just completing their first year on the hospital wards reveals that over two thirds (65%) chose a career in medicine because they wanted to help people.

MPS welcomed the CQC’s new approach to inspections and provided detailed comments:

In anticipation of the new statutory requirement to hold indemnity as a condition of registration for regulated healthcare professionals the HCPC produced guidance for their members on their obligations.

The year on year increase in clinical negligence claims against NHS Trusts continues, with the NHS LA reporting a 10.8 per cent rise in the number of new claims reported in the year ending March 2013, and a 66 per cent increase over the past 4 years.

The Medical Protection Society (MPS) and the BMA have written to Jeremy Hunt, the Secretary of State for Health, with key recommendations to ensure the newly created role of Chief Inspector of Hospitals is a success.

Dr Stephanie Bown, MPS Director of Policy and Communications said, 'MPS strongly supports transparency in the NHS and believes that this is key to protecting and promoting public confidence in the medical profession.

MPS welcomes the guidance from the Royal College of Anaesthetists as we think greater clarity on how performance issues should be managed is beneficial to both those who may have a concern about an anaesthetists performance and also those whose performance may be called into question. We made some specific suggestions as to how the guidance might be improved.

A survey of nearly 800 UK hospital doctors conducted by the Medical Protection Society (MPS) has revealed 55% see the Chief Inspector of Hospitals’ role as just another layer of bureaucracy that will achieve no real change.

We have commented on the draft Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Commenting on the news that Jeremy Hunt wants to place responsibility for round-the-clock care back in the hands of GPs, Nick Clements, Head of Medical Services for the Medical Protection Society said, 'The fictional world of Doc Martin is a long way from the reality of modern practice. The village doctor working all hours is simply unsustainable in many surgeries, which are struggling to cope under huge pressures, exacerbated by increasingly bureaucratic processes that divert resources away from patient care.

We have welcomed the government’s proposed approach to transposing into UK law the EU requirement for healthcare professionals to have an indemnity arrangement in place.

We welcome the opportunity to respond to the Ministry of Justice consultation on the Damages Act 1996 – The Discount Rate.