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Government must secure medical indemnity for GPs with GMC undertakings

I am writing to give a voice for those GPs who have been refused renewal of their medical indemnity cover, or had their application to another indemnifying body turned down, especially those with GMC undertakings or conditions.

The Government needs to ensure that its new ‘state-backed’ indemnity scheme makes provision for these GPs.

One GP colleague who suffered this fate was refused renewal of indemnity cover a few months after a complaint, even before the investigation was concluded.

Hoping to resume their career, the GP passed the GPST2 test and simulated surgery test required to enrol on the induction and refresher course, one of the GMC undertakings, and was given a placement by the deanery.

Yet the GP’s new applications for medical indemnity cover were refused – even by the medical indemnity body representing them in the case. The refusal had a profound effect, as the GP was unable to take up their work placement for the induction and refresher course, and subsequently removed from the medical performers list.

We may not know the exact number of GPs who have been refused indemnity in this way. However we need go no further than a quick Google search to see the likely scale of this problem, with the many professional medical insurance brokers advising GPs to register with them if they have been refused indemnity by the main indemnifying bodies.

The author wishes to remain anonymous to protect their colleague’s identity