Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 24 Feb 2000

Vol. 515 No. 2

Written Answers. - Medical Staff.

Bernard Allen

Question:

174 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health and Children the proposals, if any, he has to make the membership of the medical defence body obligatory in view of the fact that it has been claimed by a person (details supplied) that many junior doctors are leaving themselves vulnerable without indemnity cover for general medico and legal matters. [5686/00]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

Since 1992 non-consultant hospital doctors, public health doctors, dentists employed by health boards and some other small groups of salaried doctors have been covered by a group medical indemnity scheme. The scheme was originally conceived as a measure to deal with industrial relations unrest among NCHDs who were dissatisfied with the then existing reimbursement scheme. On the basis that these groups are salaried doctors and dentists with little or no private practice it was decided to remove from them the obligation to hold individual indemnity cover and to devise a group scheme to purchase cover for them.

The medical indemnity scheme was never intended to replicate the indemnity cover being provided by the medical defence organisations. Rather, it provides indemnity for the financial consequences of negligence arising from work undertaken as part of the doctor-dentists' activities in a post approved by the Department of Health and Children in the public health service.

The medical indemnity scheme does not provide cover for representation before the fitness to practise committee of the Medical Council. It may, in certain circumstances, provide representation in other disciplinary proceedings. The Department is strongly of the view that an employer would not be put in the position of paying for services such as this. It would not be in the interests of hospitals or doctors that they should do so as, in certain circumstances, the hospital may be the body initiating a complaint against a doctor. It is in the doctor's own interest that he or she has a source of independent professional advice and representation. NCHDs should also be aware that they expose themselves to risk when they diagnose, treat or prescribe for a relative or friend. They need to provide themselves with appropriate cover for this area of practice.

In 1992 both the Department and the Irish Medical Organisation emphasised the importance of NCHDs and others covered by the scheme taking out supplementary cover for those aspects of their professional lives not covered by the scheme. This is available from the Medical Defence Union, Medical Protection Society and St. Paul.