Lynch introduces mandatory indemnity insurance for medical practitioners

New legislation to make it mandatory for medical practitioners who are engaged in medical practice to provide evidence of minimum levels of indemnity insurance cover to the Medical Council, on registration with the Council and on annual renewal of registration was introduced in the Dáil by Minister of State Kathleen Lynch.

There is currently, she said, no legal obligation on a medical practitioner to have medical indemnity insurance cover. In some cases also, doctors may have cover, but it may be inadequate for the area in which they practise.

“As a result, some patients and the users of medical practitioners' services may find they are unable to seek redress in the event of a medical mishap or negligent care from a medical practitioner,” she said. “Given the high cost of litigation and the long-term consequences of some adverse events, this legislation is to be welcomed as patient-focused and progressive.”

The main purpose of the original Medical Practitioners Act 2007 is to protect the public and to have a proactive system of robust registration and regulation of the medical profession, in order to minimise the risk to the public and to safeguard the health and well-being of people accessing health services, she said. Under the Medical Practitioners Act, the Medical Council must register every medical practitioner who practises in Ireland.

“In anticipation of the enactment of this Bill, the council already asks medical practitioners on application for registration and on annual retention of registration whether they have indemnity cover,” she said. “On the enactment of the legislation, medical practitioners will not be registered to practise unless evidence of adequate indemnity cover is provided to the council. This development can only be to patients' benefit.”

(27 January)