Dental Protection has welcomed the publication of updated guidance from the GDC on professional indemnity which aims to provide dental professionals with a more comprehensive understanding of what questions to ask when arranging protection.
The GDC consultation launched today proposes a checklist of questions that dental professionals should run through when choosing their protection, including whether there are financial limits, whether the product is occurrence-based or claims-made, and whether it includes assistance with disciplinary and GDC proceedings as well as wellbeing support.
Most dental professionals are members of a dental defence organisation such as Dental Protection – a mutual not-for-profit organisation that uses its discretion to positively look for ways to assist when members need support.
Dental Protection members have protection that does not include financial caps, so they do not need to worry about the prospect of having to cover any costs that exceed a limit. Their protection is occurrence-based which protects them long into the future without the need to purchase run-off or ‘tail’ cover when they end their policy, retire, or leave dentistry. It also includes the right to request assistance with GDC investigations and manage other risks, as well as wellbeing support.
The alternative is to take out an insurance contract with an insurance provider, which specifies what assistance the insurer will and will not provide, and to what level. Different products will specify different levels of protection.
Dr Raj Rattan, Dental Director at Dental Protection said: “The differences between the indemnity and insurance options available are complex and this draft guidance is a positive step forward in helping dental professionals understand the indemnity requirements, the options available, and make an informed decision on protection that is right for them. A dental professional’s career is too important to risk by not having the right level of protection in place.
“We welcome the plan to provide more detail on what the different options do and do not include, for example, support with a fitness to practise investigation. Dental Protection has previously called on the GDC to stress the importance of having support in place for GDC investigations, in addition to claims, as sadly many dental professionals appear before a GDC hearing without legal representation and are more likely to face a harsher sanction.”
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About Dental Protection
Dental Protection is a registered trademark and a trading name of The Medical Protection Society Limited (“MPS”). MPS is the world’s leading protection organisation for doctors, dentists and healthcare professionals. We protect and support the professional interests of more than 300,000 members around the world. Membership provides access to expert advice and support and can also provide, depending on the type of membership required, the right to request indemnity for any complaints or claims arising from professional practice.
Our in-house experts assist with the wide range of legal and ethical problems that arise from professional practice. This can include clinical negligence claims, complaints, medical and dental council inquiries, legal and ethical dilemmas, disciplinary procedures, inquests and fatal accident inquiries.
Our philosophy is to support safe practice in medicine and dentistry by helping to avert problems in the first place. We do this by promoting risk management through our workshops, E-learning, clinical risk assessments, publications, conferences, lectures and presentations.
MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.