Death-in-service benefits need to be extended to locum GPs in light of the Covid-19 crisis, according to the BMA.
The BMA has asked the Government to guarantee adequate death-in-service cover for all doctors working to fight against coronavirus.
For locum GPs this is especially pertinent. Under current law, locum GPs do not qualify for full death-in-service benefits if they die on a day off.
In a recent tweet, the BMA GP Committee said: ‘We’ve campaigned for years to extend death-in-service benefits to locum GPs, who do not qualify if they work Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays but die on a Tuesday.
‘With the grave situation facing staff due to #Covid19 the [Government] must act now.’
The BMA has actively challenged the issue of inadequate death-in-service cover for locum GPs, including an unsuccessful high court challenge.
The renewed call is to support doctors working to fight against Covid-19.
On the BMA website, BMA pensions committee chair Vish Sharma, said: ‘The BMA has repeatedly asked the Department of Health and Social Care for reassurances that adequate death-in-service cover is provided, if necessary under temporary emergency measures. To date, we have not received that reassurance.’
