How it is different across the nations

All GP registrar placed in GP settings in England, Scotland and Wales are automatically covered for clinical negligence liabilities through the relevant NHS indemnity scheme. To benefit from this indemnity, you're not required to pay.

In Northern Ireland, you will need to maintain membership of a recognised MOD (medical defence organisation) to cover your clinical negligence liabilities. Initially, this will be at your own expense but you can claim full reimbursement of the cost of basic medical defence cover from NIMDTA (Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency). 

GP registrars in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are also advised to hold comprehensive personal indemnity cover from a MDO. 

GP registrars in England receive comprehensive personal indemnity cover from HEE (Health Education England) until qualification. If you receive personal protection from a MDO through a bulk indemnity agreement, this will continue.

Registrars who have purchased their own professional cover should continue to seek full reimbursement until a bulk indemnity agreement is arranged by HEE.

How GP registrars in England are covered

• When in hospital placements, clinical negligence indemnity cover is automatically provided through the trust’s membership of the CNST (Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts).
• When in GP practice placements, clinical negligence indemnity cover is automatically provided through the state-backed GP indemnity scheme, the CNSGP (clinical negligence scheme for general practice).
• When you are doing your placement in both a GP practice and a hospital, additional professional cover is provided by HEE. This is either through a HEE arranged bulk indemnity agreement or personally sourced by the registrar and then reimbursed by HEE.
• All indemnity cover is occurrence-based, so run-off cover is unnecessary.

What else it includes

• Cover for disputes with your practice, employer or the GMC is provided by HEE.
• Out of hours work undertaken as part of your training.
• Private work under the supervision of your clinical supervisor or educational supervisor, such as completion of insurance medical forms or cremation forms.

What is not covered

It does not include any private work done outside of training such as sports medicine or aesthetic or cosmetic work. For this type of work, you should explore the need to arrange your own indemnity. 

You may be covered up to a certain value of work depending on the indemnifier providing the HEE cover in your area.