Clinical Negligence Scheme for GPs Launched

On 1 April 2019, the government officially launched the long-awaited Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice. The scheme will now see GPs receive state-backed indemnity cover from NHS Resolution, cover which has for several years only been available to hospital-based doctors.

The scheme will provide comprehensive indemnity cover for claims arising from incidents which occur in a GP setting, on or after 1 April 2019. Any claims relating to incidents occurring before that date will not be covered by the scheme, meaning GPs will need to refer any such claims to their Medical Defence Organisation (MDO)/indemnity provider.

The launch of the new scheme follows two years of extensive consultation involving the likes of the BMA, MDOs, NHS England and the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), and although those consultations have highlighted an expectation that GPs will still require MDO cover, the scheme represents a dramatic change for GPs across the UK.

NHS Resolution has published a guidance page on the scheme, which can by accessed here.