PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release: Tuesday, 8 December 2015
MDDUS members who responded to the urgent call in Cumbria to help in the aftermath of the storm will have access to indemnity for this assistance.
UK-wide medical defence organisation MDDUS would like to offer reassurance to those members who volunteered amid safety fears during Storm Desmond and subsequent flooding that hit parts of the country.
MDDUS Joint Head of Medical Division Dr Anthea Martin said: “As we explained to the local LMC, we can reassure members who assisted over the last few days to ensure the safety of patients and the population of those affected areas will have access to indemnity for this work.
“MDDUS offers indemnity against claims arising out of Good Samaritan acts anywhere in the world, as an automatic benefit of their membership. These acts are defined as ‘the provision of medical and dental services in emergency situations outside the scope of an individual’s normal contractual obligations or clinical practice’.
“We would advise doctors to consider the urgency of the situation, act in the patient’s best interests and apply common sense. Doctors should act within the limits of their competence.”
The GMC offers clear guidance to doctors and state in Good Medical Practice that doctors “must offer help if emergencies arise in clinical settings or in the community, taking account of your own safety, your competence and the availability of other options for care.”
Dr Martin added: “If any doctor has concerns then we would be more than happy to discuss matters directly through our advisory or membership advice lines.”
Ends
For further information contact Richard Hendry on 0845 270 2034 or 07976 272266, or email rihendry@mddus.com.
Note to editors
MDDUS (The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland) is a medical and dental defence organisation providing access to professional indemnity and expert medico- and dento-legal advice for doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals throughout the UK.
For further information on MDDUS go to www.mddus.com.
This page was correct at the time of publication. Any guidance is intended as general guidance for members only. If you are a member and need specific advice relating to your own circumstances, please contact one of our advisers.