It seems that the general practice workforce is being managed by insurance companies.
A colleague, sick with clinical depression following marital breakdown and disruption within her practise, is subject to certain GMC undertakings that limit future practice. She has met their requirements to sit and pass the RCGP clinical examinations and has successfully applied for a supervised GP Registrar post and a place on an Induction and Refresher (I&R) scheme, all supported by her last GP Dean, her future Dean, and the director of the training practise that she will be joining. She can now proceed with her refreshed career, but a place on the PCT performers list is conditional on evidence of professional indemnity.
And here is the rub; the prospective employer has a group indemnity but their insurance company, incorrectly, gave advice that an individual application would have to be made. This was refused, and a complaint was followed by a review 1 month later, and the application was again refused. Two further insurance companies refused cover outright despite being in receipt of GMC approved PDP plans and references from her new employer. A fourth company has agreed cover at the cost of £16 000 per annum.
The first three companies have been anonymously approached to provide their assessment criteria for return to practice applicants and copies of their policies for those on I&R schemes. None have yet responded.
She has now been waiting a month for a comment from the GMC on this position; their continuing delay in responding perhaps indicates that they do not have a policy of dialogue with medical indemnity companies, or to their own customer service commitment, that promises a reply within 10 days.
The country is desperately short of doctors experienced in primary care and particularly short of mature doctors who have met the most recent and rigorous standards for practice through their professional body, the RCGP, and its Returners Scheme.
Surely it cannot be true that medical indemnity companies have more influence than the GMC on return to practise for the UK's GP workforce.
Notes
The Author can be contacted via the BJGP office
This letter was sent to the General Medical Council, the Medical Defence Union and the Medical Protection Society all of whom declined to comment.
- © British Journal of General Practice 2013