GPs are likely to face two lawsuits over the course of their career, according to MPS.
An MPS analysis of claims shows that GPs are more likely to be sued now than ever before and a full-time UK GP, outside Scotland, is expected to be twice as likely to receive a claim this year as they were seven years ago.
In addition, a survey of 600 GPs revealed that 88% of respondents believed they are more likely to be sued now than they were five years ago.
More than one in three (35%) of the GPs surveyed had received a claim for clinical negligence during their medical career, with 14% experiencing a claim in the past two years – compared with 2.5% who had complaints 11 to 15 years ago.
MPS medical director, Dr Rob Hendry, said: "Unfortunately, GPs are more likely to be sued now than ever before."
“Worryingly, over a typical career, the average full-time GP could now expect to receive two claims against them if our recent experience is indicative of the continuing future environment for claims against GPs.
“Being sued can have a significant impact on the health of doctors, with 86% of GP survey respondents stating that their involvement in a claim impacted on their morale and 74% feeling it impacted on their confidence.
“We believe there are likely to be a number of contributing factors behind this increase in claims; the increasing complexity of care, enhanced patient expectations and a challenging and expensive legal environment.
“We are concerned about the impact the current claims environment will have on individual doctors, but also more widely on medicine. We know from recent figures that England needs 8,000 new full time equivalent GPs by 2020, and a fear of clinical negligence claims could further harm future recruitment drives.”
The findings arrived in the same month that Michael Wade, a former Lloyd’s of London insurance executive currently investigating public sector insurance schemes, questioned the affordability of clinical negligence claims to the NHS.
If the worse happens and you find yourself at the centre of a claim for clinical negligence, then as a member of MPS you have access to the best possible protection. We can manage claims and complaints from their first notification to conclusion, and can take care of all the legal costs and compensation payments.
MPS has created a Claims Guide with information about the claims process. Read about the Guide here
Read the press release here