AT MDDUS we recognise the vital importance of the Covid-19 vaccination programme. We know that healthcare professionals will want reassurance that they have access to advice, support and indemnity for this critical activity.
In Scotland, GPs providing Covid-19 vaccinations to their own patient population should be covered by their existing MDDUS indemnity arrangements. GPs should ensure that this work is included in the overall session calculation declared to MDDUS for subscription purposes. We do not need to be told about this work in advance and we can make retrospective adjustments to subscriptions. Where a practice is an MDDUS Discount Practice Scheme, we will also provide indemnity to staff engaged by MDDUS GP members to undertake vaccination work in respect of their practice patients. For existing staff, this would be automatic. Where a practice engages additional staff they must inform us of the roles, volume and nature of their work. In such instances, please email membership@mddus.com and provide details of the post, the nature of the work and the length of the contract. If the additional staff are GPs, please advise in what capacity they normally practice and their MDDUS membership grading and membership number.
There will likely be a minority of patients who are not registered with the practice, where no option is available to be vaccinated by their registered GP practice. Practices undertaking vaccinations of non-registered patients at the request of the health board, including their own staff, (in their own premises or in those arranged by the practice for the purposes of vaccination) under the Directed Enhanced Service, should be covered by their existing indemnity.
GPs providing vaccinations at health board level, such as mass vaccination sites, will be provided with indemnity by the health board via CNORIS. Any additional staff provided by health boards to assist in the primary care rollout of Covid-19 vaccination will also have their indemnity provided by CNORIS. General practice staff will generally be providing Covid-19 vaccinations to their own patient population.
Please note the liability of GPs arises only during the on-site storage and administration of the vaccine, rather than from any flaws in its manufacture or failures in distribution.
In addition to the above, MDDUS GP members have access to professional advice, assistance and, where necessary, legal representation for complaints, inquests, fatal accident inquiries, criminal matters related to the practice of medicine, as well as assistance if referred to the regulator and clinical disciplinary processes by primary care organisations and respective health boards.
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.