Medical Protection Society
Encyclopedia
The Medical Protection Society (MPS) is a not for profit organisation which offers legal and ethical help to medical
and dental
(through its subsidiary company Dental Protection Ltd.) professionals. Based in the United Kingdom
, it operates in over 40 countries (including Ireland
, Malaysia, Singapore
, Hong Kong
, South Africa
, New Zealand
and the Caribbean and Bermuda) and has over 270,000 members worldwide.
The MPS was founded in 1892, with just 13 original members all practising in the home counties
of England
, and now (2011) has over 270,000 members worldwide. 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).
for the legal costs in defence of their professional reputations. MPS also pays out damages for clinical negligence
. However, it is not an insurance company; MPS offers funds and other services to its membership body at the discretion of a council of representative members.
The Council’s obligations and powers are set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association. A copy of this is sent to members when they join MPS.
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and dental
Dentistry
Dentistry is the branch of medicine that is involved in the study, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases, disorders and conditions of the oral cavity, maxillofacial area and the adjacent and associated structures and their impact on the human body. Dentistry is widely considered...
(through its subsidiary company Dental Protection Ltd.) professionals. Based in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, it operates in over 40 countries (including Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Malaysia, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and the Caribbean and Bermuda) and has over 270,000 members worldwide.
The MPS was founded in 1892, with just 13 original members all practising in the home counties
Home Counties
The home counties is a term which refers to the counties of South East England and the East of England which border London, but do not include the capital city itself...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, and now (2011) has over 270,000 members worldwide. The other two organisations in the same field in the UK are the Medical Defence Union
Medical Defence Union
The Medical Defence Union is the largest medical defence union in the United Kingdom, and is one of three major medical defence organisations in the country.The MDU was established in 1885 and was the first of its kind in the world...
(MDU) and the Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland
Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland
The Medical and Dental Defence Union of Scotland is one of three major medical defence organisations in the UK and offers professional indemnity and expert medico-legal and dento-legal advice for doctors, dentists and other healthcare professionals throughout the United Kingdom. MDDUS is a mutual...
(MDDUS).
Indemnity
MPS aims to help doctors with ethical and legal problems that arise from their clinical practice. Members of the MPS look to the organisation for medicolegal advice and indemnificationIndemnity
An indemnity is a sum paid by A to B by way of compensation for a particular loss suffered by B. The indemnitor may or may not be responsible for the loss suffered by the indemnitee...
for the legal costs in defence of their professional reputations. MPS also pays out damages for clinical negligence
Medical malpractice
Medical malpractice is professional negligence by act or omission by a health care provider in which the treatment provided falls below the accepted standard of practice in the medical community and causes injury or death to the patient, with most cases involving medical error. Standards and...
. However, it is not an insurance company; MPS offers funds and other services to its membership body at the discretion of a council of representative members.
The Council’s obligations and powers are set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association. A copy of this is sent to members when they join MPS.
Functions
Some of the servicesprovided by MPS include:- – Medicolegal advice from its team of medicolegal advisers
- – Legal representation in a range of circumstances, such as clinical negligence claims and disciplinary hearings
- – Support with handling press intrusion if a member is involved in a case which attracts media attention
- – Counselling service for any members who are suffering from stress as a result of an adverse incident or medicolegal matter
- – Risk management workshops, lectures and publications on a variety of subjects, from consent to medical records, to help avoid the risk of complaints
- – Lobbying to bring about a sensible regulatory environment to provide a safer environment for patients and healthcare professionals.