Medical Protection Society

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Medical Protection Society (MPS) is a not for profit organisation which offers legal and ethical help to medical and dental professionals. Based in the United Kingdom, it operates in 35 countries (including Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and New Zealand) and has over 250,000 members worldwide, half of whom in the UK.[1]

The MPS was founded in 1892, with just 13 original members all practising in the home counties of England, the MPS now officially the largest organisation of its type in the world.[2] The other two organisations in the same field in the UK are the Medical Defence Union (MDU) and the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland (MDDUS).

[edit] Functions

Members of the MPS look to the organisation for medicolegal advice and indemnification for the legal costs in defence of their professional reputations; also, MPS pays out damages for clinical negligence. However, it is not an insurance company, as it is a mutual organisation and its services are provided at the discretion of a council of representative members.[3]

The activities of MPS take in the areas of medical negligence and related claims handling, general assistance with complaints, representation at inquests and fatal accident inquiries, General Medical Council conduct issues (e.g. performance, health), other disciplinary procedures, and involvement in courts martial and criminal investigations (including murder and manslaughter).

The MPS also advises governmental and non-governmental organisations on issues of relevance to its activities,[2] and also issues general statements providing members with advice MPS_Risk Consulting.

[edit] Footnotes

  1. ^ Medical Protection Society (4 December 2007). "MPS has reached a quarter of a million members worldwide". Press release. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  2. ^ a b Gerard Panting (4 June 1999). Appendix 20 -- Memorandum by the Medical Protection Society (ACI 89). Select Committee on Health -- Health - Sixth Report (Session 2007-08) -- Appendices to the Minutes of Evidence. House of Commons. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.
  3. ^ Medical Protection Society Company Description. Hoover's. Retrieved on 2008-03-24.

[edit] External links