Simon Kayll, CEO at the Medical Protection Society (MPS), commented on the Welsh Government's announcement of its intention to introduce a state-backed scheme for clinical negligence indemnity, for GPs in Wales

The Medical Protection Society (MPS) has been instrumental in a revision to the NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries (CKS) red flag symptoms for cauda equina syndrome. The changes will help healthcare professionals diagnose the condition and make referrals earlier, enabling prevention of irreversible nerve damage and disability.

Inconsistent and unfair disciplinary procedures in NHS Trusts across England must be addressed if we are to make a shift from a culture of fear in healthcare, to one of openness and learning, the Medical Protection Society (MPS) said today.

MPS comments on the news that Dr Bawa-Garba's appeal has been granted

Justice Secretary David Gauke has unveiled plans to introduce the Civil Liability Bill to parliament. The new Bill includes changes to the way the discount rate is set.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

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).

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.

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.

Commenting on the Crowdfunding appeal for Dr Bawa Garba - Dr Rob Hendry, Medical Director at the Medical Protection Society (MPS), said...

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...

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 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.

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.

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...

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.

Commenting on the Public Accounts Committee report into NHS clinical negligence costs published today - Director of Claims Policy and Legal at the Medical Protection Society, Emma Hallinan, said...

The Justice Select Committee has just published its report on the Government’s draft legislation on the discount rate. Commenting, Director of Claims Policy and Legal at the Medical Protection Society, Emma Hallinan, said...

The Department of Health has directed NHS Resolution to establish and administer the state-backed indemnity scheme for GPs in England, however details on how the scheme will operate are still to be confirmed.

The proposed state-backed indemnity scheme is welcome news for GPs in England, but the underlying issue of rising clinical negligence costs still needs to be tackled - Alex Chalk MP told MPs, peers and health leaders at a parliamentary event last night.