Our strengths
MPS is a financially strong membership organisation that has the benefit of over 50 years’ experience in the medical indemnity market in New Zealand. Our team of skilled doctors with legal knowledge are available 24 hours per day, seven days a week to help members deal with any ethical and legal challenges arising from their professional practice.
We are confident that we have access to the very best team of independent, specialist medicolegal lawyers in the country, including three QCs who have been associated with us for many years.
MPS offers great value for money. As well as our financial stability and security, comprehensive indemnity and experienced advisers, we provide members with valuable risk management support, educational activities and materials, and initiatives for improving patient safety. In conjunction with MAS, we assist doctors in accessing counselling to help during periods of stress.
Our people & expertise
The team is made up of:
- Dr Garry Clearwater MB ChB FACEM
- Dr Tim Cookson MB ChB MRNZCGP Dip Obs DCH
- Dr Denys Court MB ChB DipObst FRANZCOG
- Dr Alan Doris MB ChB LLB MPhil LLM (Med Law) MRCPsych FACLM
- Dr Brendon Gray MB ChB LLB MPH MRCGP FAFPHM (RACP) FACLM
- Dr Andrew Stacey MB ChB LLB (Hons) FCUCP FACLM
We operate a 24-hour advice line, 0800 225 5677, and are always keen to hear from members experiencing problems in their professional practice. In our experience, just talking through an issue can help improve the situation, and where a problem is more complex our advisers will provide support tailored to your needs and can provide access to the most experienced specialist lawyers in the field.
Our services
MPS aims to help doctors with legal problems that arise from their clinical practice. The services we provide have a number of aims:
- Helping doctors with specific problems they face.
- Promoting safer practice, reducing the number of problems in the future.
- Lobbying to bring about a sensible regulatory environment.
We do this through a range of discretionary membership benefits, provided subject to the conditions set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Global mutual fund
The reserves that MPS holds – a portion of subscriptions collected over many years – means that MPS’s pooled global funds now exceed £1.6bn.
This brings economies of scale and means we are able to hold a diverse range of investments to achieve the best return for the least risk. Companies that only operate in one country are much less able to do this.
Achieving a better and more stable investment return through the pooling of all funds means we are better able to keep subscriptions as low as possible. It also helps us make sure that secure funds are available to meet the needs of all members whenever a claim or complaint is brought against them – even if it is years after the incident occurred.
Smaller indemnity providers who operate only in one country are unable to benefit from international risk pooling, and less able to achieve good stable investment returns through a diverse investment fund.
Benefits of belonging to an international mutual
MPS members benefit from being part of a large international organisation as this ensures a greater diversity of risk compared to a small or purely national organisation. It is this diversity of risk which allows us to be a more resilient and stable organisation, as demonstrated by our track record of success for more than a century.
MPS has more than 270,000 members worldwide, and our size affords us economies of scale – for example, our consolidated and centralized corporate services based in the UK service all our membership countries including New Zealand, whilst engaging those services which make sense to be delivered locally, such as membership services through MAS.
MPS is prudent with its members’ funds and is constantly looking for ways to gain efficiencies while still delivering a high quality service. Such efficiency gains have meant that subscription rates were lowered this year, despite the tough financial environment in New Zealand. The interest gained from the investment of large funds also allows MPS to manage the level of subscription rates – for example, the lesser the investment return, the greater the charge in subscriptions.
The gold standard in professional indemnity
We believe that MPS offers the gold standard in professional indemnity, because our product is discretionary, occurrence-based and mutual. This trinity offers an attractive flexibility; as a discretionary, we can provide help and support even in unusual circumstances. There is no explicit or exclusive list of what is or is not included beyond our Memorandum and Articles of Association. As an occurrence-based indemnifier, we can meet requests for assistance, regardless of when the issue is raised. As a not-for-profit mutual, we are owned by, and are accountable to, our members and have no shareholders looking for profit.
Other key services
Some of the other main services provided by MPS include:
Medicolegal advice
We help to resolve medicolegal dilemmas as they arise in everyday practice. Our team of advisers is always available to help members.
Indemnity
MPS offers discretionary indemnity against adverse awards for costs and damages in clinical negligence cases.
Legal representation
MPS provides first-class specialist legal advice and representation in a range of circumstances, such as clinical negligence claims and disciplinary hearings.
Media relations
If members are unfortunate enough to be involved in a case that attracts adverse publicity, we can help. By preparing statements and acting as a spokesperson we can shield members from press intrusion as far as is possible.
Risk management
We produce publications, lectures and workshops on a variety of subjects, from consent to medical records. We can also offer a range of help and advice on particular risk management issues.
Lobbying
We monitor legal reforms, professional and national policy and are active on review bodies, lobbying for change and making representations to decision-making bodies.