MPS announces subscription rates freeze for hospital consultants in Ireland

The Medical Protection Society’s (MPS) subscription rates for hospital consultants in Ireland will be kept at the same level as 2007, apart from obstetricians with any off-site intra-partum practice, for whom there will be a 4% increase in subscriptions.

MPS Chief Executive, Tony Mason, said:
“We are pleased to be able to freeze subscription rates for the majority of Hospital consultants in Ireland payable from April 2008. Each year we have to balance the desire to keep our subscription rates for members as low as financially prudent, with the need to ensure that MPS has sufficient funds available to meet all expected claims, both those which are reported and those which will arise in the future from past incidents.

“Although the frequency of claims against Irish members has stabilised or fallen over the last few years the average claim size continues to increase. This is due to higher settlements and substantial legal costs. It will be a few years before we get a true picture of the post-enterprise liability experience and we will continue to monitor the situation closely.

“Both claimant and defence legal costs in Ireland far exceed the legal costs in most other countries in which MPS operates.

“MPS offers support to members for all legal and ethical problems that arise from their professional practice. Subscription rates include not only the right to seek assistance with clinical negligence claims, but also with Medical Council investigations, inquests, Gardai investigations (from professional practice), hospital inquiries and complaints.”