The GMC has announced that, as of 1st August 2015, new indemnity regulations have come into effect.

The GMC now has powers to check that doctors hold appropriate indemnity insurance. It can also withdraw a doctor’s licence to practise if they work without adequate indemnity cover.

A doctor needs to have insurance or indemnity in place when they start to practise in the UK. The type and level of insurance or indemnity required depends on where a doctor works, whether they are employed or self-employed, and the type of work they do.

The new regulations mean that the GMC is now able to:

  • Check that any doctor practising in the UK has the appropriate insurance or indemnity in place, when it has concerns that this might not be the case.
  • Remove a doctor’s licence to stop them from practising altogether, if it learns they don’t have appropriate insurance or indemnity in place or if they fail to give the GMC the information it asks for.
  • Refuse to grant a licence to a doctor if they can’t assure the GMC they’ll have the appropriate insurance or indemnity in place by the time they start practising in the UK.

Don’t risk your licence – ensure you are fully covered. If you do not already hold indemnity insurance, please contact:

The Medical Defence Union (MDU) on 0800 716 376 www.themdu.com/

Or the Medical Protection Society (MPS) on 0800 561 9000 www.medicalprotection.org/uk

Or another suitable insurance provider to arrange the relevant cover.

 

For further details, visit the GMC website.

Need to talk to us about this? Contact our compliance & revalidation team on 01277 217777 or email compliance@athona.com