Expanding your GP Practice team – Update on the additional roles reimbursement scheme
The Additional Roles Reimbursement Scheme (ARRS) is designed to expand the primary care work force and enable more proactive, personalised and integrated health and social care. Through the scheme, Primary Care Networks (PCNs) are entitled to access funding to recruit...
Mental health impacts of COVID-19 and lockdown intensify pressure on GPs
Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, GPs were under pressure to deal with rising numbers of patients with mental health concerns. A survey by MIND in 2018 found that 40% of all GP appointments were about mental health. But COVID-19 and the resulting lockdowns are now...
COVID-19 vaccination programme: Is the UK on track?
The global COVID-19 vaccine roll-out started in the UK on 8 December 2020, with a 91-year-old grandmother receiving the Pfizer/BioNTech jab at University Hospital, Coventry. Roll-out of the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine followed at Churchill Hospital in Oxford on 4...
Delivery of mass vaccination programmes during the pandemic
Monday 9th November brought encouraging, preliminary reports that the Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine provided more than 90% protection against COVID-19. Only a week later, Moderna announced efficacy of 94.5% for their COVID-19 vaccine candidate. With first results from Phase...
Navigating a claim – What to do and where to seek support
At a time when healthcare workers are already under intense pressure to resume NHS services and deal with a second wave of COVID-19 infections, unfortunately some may find they also face complaints from patients, and litigation or...
Medical Defense Society – Our new look!
Members of the Medical Defense Society will soon see a fresh new look and logo on our website and in our written communications. Since going live in 2017, Medical Defense Society has steadily grown in size. Now in 2020, we have firmly established our place in the MDO...
Digital-first primary care: How to avoid potential risks of providing remote services
Even before COVID-19, plans were in place for GP practices to provide online and video consultations. Yet adoption of digital technologies was slow. The pandemic changed that, dramatically accelerating the shift to remote consultations as practices reduced the risk of...
Lessons from COVID-19
As we emerge from the initial peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a sense in general practice that while it has presented an exceptionally challenging situation, it has provided a unique opportunity to rethink how patient care is delivered. Recent reports from the...
COVID-19: Signposts to practical advice as lockdown ends
It is over 100 days since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on 11 March. Healthcare services have adapted fast and continue to adjust. With UK case numbers falling, lockdown restrictions are being progressively lifted. GPs and other healthcare...
Where are England’s most severe GP shortages?
As an indemnity provider created by GPs for GPs, we pay close attention to the state of the profession. We’re acutely aware of the current shortage of GPs and the need to protect and support the skilled professionals who work across the country. In this post, we look...
How long should medical records be kept?
How long medical records should be kept is a regular question asked by doctors, and with good reason. It's a huge responsibility, and one that should be taken with great care, as record holders have a legal and ethical obligation to securely preserve records. When it...
GP Charges for Overseas Patients: A quick reference guide
GP primary care services are not included in overseas visitor charging regulations, but with increased publicity, debate and recent rule changes over NHS charging, confusion can arise. Whilst there may be charges for some overseas patients in secondary care, even...