Health Minister, Vaughan Gething has today confirmed a key step forward in delivering the new state backed scheme to provide clinical negligence indemnity for GPs in Wales.
This was published under the 2016 to 2021 administration of the Welsh Government
Speaking at the Welsh NHS Confederation annual conference today in Cardiff, the Health Minister confirmed NHS Shared Services Partnership – Legal and Risk Services as the partner to operate the Future Liability Scheme (FLS) from April 1 this year. They currently manage the indemnity arrangements for GPs working out of hours and secondary care indemnity.
The Future Liability Scheme (FLS) will be aligned as far as possible to the scheme announced in England. This will ensure GPs in Wales are not at a disadvantage relative to those in England. It will also ensure GP recruitment and cross border activity will not be adversely affected by different schemes operating in England and Wales.
The scheme will cover clinical negligence liabilities arising from the activities of all contractors who provide primary medical services. This includes GP practice staff and other medical professionals such as salaried GPs, locum GPs, practice pharmacists, practice nurses, healthcare assistants.
The Health Minister, Vaughan Gething said:
“This new scheme will provide greater stability and certainty for GPs in Wales. It will support GP practices and primary care clusters in their delivery of sustainable and accessible health care.”
The confirmation of NHS Shared Services Partnership – Legal and Risk Services to operate the FLS scheme has been welcomed by GPC Wales and NHS Wales, who have worked with Welsh Government in developing the scheme.
Dr Charlotte Jones, Chair of GPC Wales, said:
“GPC Wales supports the Welsh Government’s decision for Legal and Risk Services to operate the future liability scheme from 1 April 2019. The proposed scheme will address one of the biggest financial pressures on GPs, and will enable all GPs, practice teams and wider cluster healthcare professionals to work more closely together taking forward the transformation of Welsh primary care.”
Anne Louise Ferguson, Director of Legal Services, NHS Shared Services Partnership – Legal and Risk Services, said:
“NHS Shared Services Partnership Legal and Risk Services is looking forward to providing a high quality service for GPs in Wales which will build on our success in the delivery of secondary care indemnity.”