The importance of medical malpractice
January, 2018
As any doctor or practitioner can tell you medical malpractice insurance is a key cover for them. A lot of clinics and hospitals will not allow you to carry out any duties without this cover. It can almost be treated as another license to practise. Medical malpractice insurance will give you the protection you need should a patient bring a claim against you. There have been famous incidents whereby doctors and practitioners have been accused of negligence and the costs have run into the thousands.
What is medical malpractice?
Medical malpractice is a safety net that means should a claim be brought against you, you have the ability to defend yourself and compensate the claimant should you be found of negligence. In medicine the stakes are high, in that I mean a small mistake can have catastrophic consequences. But in that doctors and practitioners are only human and mistakes do happen.
Today’s risk
Unfortunately, in today’s society people are quick to claim, with plenty of solicitors willing to take on cases that they can make quick cash from. Which is why now more than ever medical malpractice insurance is essential for anybody working in medicine. From radiographers to pharmacists and anything in between, medicine is a rewarding industry knowing that you are benefiting people daily and potentially saving lives but similarly people are quick to jump at the opportunity to claim when something goes wrong. It is an elevated risk, high reward industry.
Our advice
We urge anybody working in the medical industry working with patients to contact us and discuss your risks. However, it is worth noting that NHS staff are often covered already and also speak to their union to see what is in place already.
We feel that education is key to enabling clients to make the decisions that are best for them. Therefore, I urge you to read the medical malpractice page and get in touch if you have any questions.
