GENERAL MEDICAL GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCILCOUNCIL

SHAILENDRA PUPPALASHAILENDRA PUPPALA

GP TRAINEEGP TRAINEE

ROLE OF GMCROLE OF GMC The purpose of the General Medical Council (GMC) is to The purpose of the General Medical Council (GMC) is to

protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the protect, promote and maintain the health and safety of the public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of public by ensuring proper standards in the practice of medicine.medicine.

The four main functions under the The four main functions under the Medical ActMedical Act::

keeping up-to-date registers of qualified doctors keeping up-to-date registers of qualified doctors fostering good medical practice fostering good medical practice promoting high standards of medical education promoting high standards of medical education dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise dealing firmly and fairly with doctors whose fitness to practise

is in doubt. is in doubt.

The GMC is an independent body and The GMC is an independent body and represents a partnership between the public represents a partnership between the public and the profession. and the profession.

The values are embodied in the publication The values are embodied in the publication Good Medical PracticeGood Medical Practice, which underpins all , which underpins all the GMC’s work. the GMC’s work.

LEGAL STATUS OF GMCLEGAL STATUS OF GMC

The General Medical Council (GMC) was established The General Medical Council (GMC) was established under the under the Medical Act of 1858Medical Act of 1858. .

Also a registered charity (registration number Also a registered charity (registration number 1089278).1089278).

The Council, has 35 members:The Council, has 35 members: 19 doctors elected by the doctors on the register 19 doctors elected by the doctors on the register 14 members of the public appointed by the NHS 14 members of the public appointed by the NHS

Appointments Commission Appointments Commission 2 academics appointed by educational bodies - the 2 academics appointed by educational bodies - the

universities and medical royal colleges universities and medical royal colleges

GOOD MEDICAL PRACTICEGOOD MEDICAL PRACTICE Good clinical careGood clinical care Providing a good standard of practice and careProviding a good standard of practice and care Decisions about access to medical careDecisions about access to medical care Treatment in emergenciesTreatment in emergencies Maintaining good medical practiceMaintaining good medical practice Keeping up to dateKeeping up to date Maintaining your performanceMaintaining your performance Teaching and training, appraising and assessingTeaching and training, appraising and assessing Making assessments and providing referencesMaking assessments and providing references Teaching and trainingTeaching and training

Relationships with patientsRelationships with patients Obtaining consentObtaining consent Respecting confidentialityRespecting confidentiality Maintaining trustMaintaining trust Good communicationGood communication Ending professional relationships with patientsEnding professional relationships with patients Dealing with problems in professional practiceDealing with problems in professional practice Conduct or performance of colleaguesConduct or performance of colleagues Complaints and formal inquiriesComplaints and formal inquiries Indemnity insuranceIndemnity insurance

Working with colleaguesWorking with colleagues Treating colleagues fairlyTreating colleagues fairly Working in teamsWorking in teams Leading teamsLeading teams Arranging coverArranging cover Taking up appointmentsTaking up appointments Sharing information with colleaguesSharing information with colleagues Delegation and referralDelegation and referral

ProbityProbity Providing information about your servicesProviding information about your services Writing reports, giving evidence and signing documentsWriting reports, giving evidence and signing documents ResearchResearch Financial and commercial dealingsFinancial and commercial dealings Conflicts of interestConflicts of interest Financial interests in hospitals, nursing homes and other Financial interests in hospitals, nursing homes and other

medical organisationsmedical organisations HealthHealth If your health may put patients at riskIf your health may put patients at risk

REFORMING THE GMCREFORMING THE GMC

The reforms have three main elements:The reforms have three main elements: Reducing the size of the CouncilReducing the size of the Council . . The The new proceduresnew procedures . . Reforming doctors’ Reforming doctors’ registration proceduresregistration procedures

and introducing revalidation. and introducing revalidation.

MEDICAL DEFENCE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNIONUNION

HISTORY OF MDUHISTORY OF MDU

1885:1885:Medical Defence Union established as Medical Defence Union established as the world's first defence organisation to defend the world's first defence organisation to defend the reputations of doctors.the reputations of doctors.

A first for the MDUA first for the MDU 11stst medical defence organisation in the world.medical defence organisation in the world. 11stst to introduce a 24-hour advisory help line.to introduce a 24-hour advisory help line. 11stst to introduce specialist risk management services.to introduce specialist risk management services. 11stst to introduce specialist in-house press-liaison to assist to introduce specialist in-house press-liaison to assist

members.members. 11stst to introduce an in-house legal team.to introduce an in-house legal team. 11stst to introduce assistance with Good Samaritan Acts to introduce assistance with Good Samaritan Acts

worldwide.worldwide. 11stst medical defence organisation to have a department medical defence organisation to have a department

dedicated to supporting members' interests with government dedicated to supporting members' interests with government and industry bodies.and industry bodies.

11stst to add the security of an insurance policy to the traditional to add the security of an insurance policy to the traditional discretionary benefits of a mutual. discretionary benefits of a mutual.

Professional Indemnity Policy Professional Indemnity Policy

The policy indemnifies members for up to £10 The policy indemnifies members for up to £10 million.million.

MDU Services LtdMDU Services Ltd and Converium Insurance and Converium Insurance (UK) Ltd are both regulated by the Financial (UK) Ltd are both regulated by the Financial Services Authority who set very strict Services Authority who set very strict standards for the amount of funds companies standards for the amount of funds companies need in reserve to ensure they meet all need in reserve to ensure they meet all liabilities.liabilities.

Converium - the facts and figuresConverium - the facts and figures

Converium is the new name for the organisation previously Converium is the new name for the organisation previously referred to as Zurich Re or Zurich Reinsurance referred to as Zurich Re or Zurich Reinsurance

It was floated away from Zurich Financial Services in It was floated away from Zurich Financial Services in December 2001 as an independent company with the new December 2001 as an independent company with the new name Converium name Converium

It was the part of Zurich which originally worked with the It was the part of Zurich which originally worked with the MDU to establish the joint venture MDU Services Ltd in 2000 MDU to establish the joint venture MDU Services Ltd in 2000

It is one of the worlds leading reinsurance companies with net It is one of the worlds leading reinsurance companies with net written premiums in 2003 of $3.82 billion** written premiums in 2003 of $3.82 billion**

Has shareholder equity of over $2 billion and invested assets Has shareholder equity of over $2 billion and invested assets of over $7 billion. of over $7 billion.

MDU SERVICESMDU SERVICES

AdvisoryAdvisory ClaimsClaims Risk managementRisk management Professional indemnity policyProfessional indemnity policy Training & educationTraining & education Claims & complaints analysesClaims & complaints analyses

ADVISORYADVISORY Medico-legal and ethical advice about issues arising Medico-legal and ethical advice about issues arising

from patient care such as confidentiality and consent .from patient care such as confidentiality and consent . Assistance in dealing with complaints .Assistance in dealing with complaints . Inquests .Inquests . Adverse incident inquiries .Adverse incident inquiries . Disciplinary proceedings .Disciplinary proceedings . Proceedings of registration bodies like the GMC in Proceedings of registration bodies like the GMC in

respect of professional performance, conduct or respect of professional performance, conduct or health. health.

Criminal investigations into clinical care that you Criminal investigations into clinical care that you have provided. have provided.

CLAIMSCLAIMS

The value of claims against doctors continues The value of claims against doctors continues to rise and dealing with an allegation that a to rise and dealing with an allegation that a patient has been damaged by negligence is patient has been damaged by negligence is very distressing. The MDU gives the members very distressing. The MDU gives the members support and reassurance throughout this whole support and reassurance throughout this whole process.process.

The case will be handled by an experienced The case will be handled by an experienced team including a doctor, a case handler and in team including a doctor, a case handler and in some cases a solicitor.some cases a solicitor.

Risk management Risk management

The risk management department is set up to The risk management department is set up to help to identify, assess and seek to minimise help to identify, assess and seek to minimise risk in the practice. risk in the practice.

The team is made up of experienced doctors The team is made up of experienced doctors and healthcare professionals who understand and healthcare professionals who understand the realities of clinical practice. the realities of clinical practice.

Cover under the Professional Cover under the Professional Indemnity PolicyIndemnity Policy

The policy provides cover of up to £10 million for The policy provides cover of up to £10 million for any legal liability to pay compensation, including any legal liability to pay compensation, including claimants' legal and defence costs, arising out of a claimants' legal and defence costs, arising out of a clinical negligence claim. Cover is for clinical clinical negligence claim. Cover is for clinical services provided within the UK and for Good services provided within the UK and for Good Samaritan acts provided worldwide.Samaritan acts provided worldwide.

The Professional Indemnity Policy also provides The Professional Indemnity Policy also provides overseas cover for training grades working in overseas cover for training grades working in recognised supervised training positions in many recognised supervised training positions in many countries of the world.countries of the world.

Training and education Training and education

Advisory and risk management publicationsAdvisory and risk management publications MDU journals and newslettersMDU journals and newsletters Book discountsBook discounts.. Practice seminarsPractice seminars Online risk assessmentOnline risk assessment

Claims & complaints analyses Claims & complaints analyses

The MDU maintains a database of all claims The MDU maintains a database of all claims and complaints that have been notified to us. and complaints that have been notified to us. This allows us to identify trends and provide This allows us to identify trends and provide valuable risk management advice.valuable risk management advice.

  Benefits of membershipBenefits of membership

Support from the UK's largest team of medico-legal advisers, 24 hours a Support from the UK's largest team of medico-legal advisers, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year .day, 365 days a year .

Specialist claims and legal teams with expertise in civil and criminal Specialist claims and legal teams with expertise in civil and criminal proceedings .proceedings .

The security of a Professional Indemnity Policy combined with the The security of a Professional Indemnity Policy combined with the flexibility of discretionary support. flexibility of discretionary support.

Professional indemnity cover for Good Samaritan acts worldwide, Professional indemnity cover for Good Samaritan acts worldwide, including USA and Canada .including USA and Canada .

24-hour Press Office to help you deal with enquiries from the media .24-hour Press Office to help you deal with enquiries from the media . Cover for training grades working in recognised, supervised training Cover for training grades working in recognised, supervised training

positions in many countries of the world* .positions in many countries of the world* . Comprehensive education service including free Advisory publications and Comprehensive education service including free Advisory publications and

practice-based training .practice-based training . Dedicated Risk Management team .Dedicated Risk Management team .