MPS is the world’s leading medical defence organisation, putting members first by providing professional support and expert medicolegal advice throughout their careers. We have more than 300,000 members worldwide. 

MPS has been helping doctors who find themselves in medicolegal difficulties since 1892. We are here to help and support members when they need it. We work only for the benefit of our members, and have no external commercial or shareholder interests to distract us.

A recent survey of our members provided the following feedback:

“I have contacted MPS on a number of occasions for general advice and have always been very impressed by the services I received.”

“Very quick responses, clear advice and guidance, a sympathetic ear.”

“Speedy, efficient, courteous, knowledgeable – I have always been impressed by the MPS and my latest enquiry only strengthened my good opinion.”

Members who retire, take a career break or who otherwise stop practising medicine voluntarily - either temporarily or permanently (excluding holidays), can request to retain Medical Protection membership in the retired/deferred category.

As a retired or deferred member with occurrence-based protection, you pay no subscription, still receive the Medical Protection journal, Casebook, and our Annual Report and Accounts, and can apply for Medical Protection assistance with any medicolegal problems arising from a “Good Samaritan act”.

However, if you decide to leave Medical Protection, then you will not be entitled to any assistance in relation to a Good Samaritan act if the incident occurs after your membership has ended. You must also inform us before you resume practice, so that we can ensure you are placed in the correct category of membership.

Members with claims-made protection should contact us to find out how a break will affect their membership.

Medical Protection regards providing an expert opinion as an integral part of professional practice. As with all aspects of professional practice it is essential that you act within the limits of your own expertise.

Medical Protection has assisted many members with claims arising out of the provision of an expert opinion and considers these in the same way as any other claim in negligence against a member.

Please contact us to check that you are paying the correct subscription to reflect your medicolegal practice.

No. We can issue a duplicate certificate to you free of charge. Please contact your local membership office to discuss your requirements.

[email protected]

No, not at present. The main benefits of engaging with our educational programs are:

• enhanced risk management and prevention skills
• improved patient outcomes
• reduced likelihood of involvement with claims or complaints and the associated stress, worry and inconvenience they bring.

Yes you do.

The ACC will not prevent you from incurring high legal fees and other expenses if you have to deal with a serious complaint or incident. 

MPS membership means you can turn to us for help and guidance with a range of problems without incurring any additional fees, including:

• Representation or legal support at a medical council hearing or hospital board inquiry, should you be referred for a disciplinary matter 
• Assistance with responding to a patient complaint
• Assistance when you have been charged with an alleged criminal act related to your professional practice, such as manslaughter or assault following a clinical examination of a patient
• Legal representation at a fatal accident inquiry or coroner’s inquest
• Support with media relations, by preparing statements and acting as a spokesperson
• Assistance with legal and ethical dilemmas
• Assistance in drafting or checking medicolegal reports
• The right to request indemnity for Good Samaritan acts. 

If you are concerned about any issue or incident which has occurred in your capacity as a doctor or other healthcare worker, we would encourage you to get in touch immediately by calling our medicolegal advice line. There is no stigma attached to seeking guidance or support, and we would rather you asked for help in time to avoid a problem instead of waiting and hoping for the best, only to find yourself in greater difficulties later. 

Medical Protection occurrence-based protection will respond to claims brought against you, even after your membership has ended and your subscription payment has ceased, as long as the alleged incident happened during the period of your Medical Protection membership and you were in the appropriate membership category at the time the incident occurred.

For Medical Protection claims-made protection, this would require you to purchase extended reporting benefits (ERBs) from Medical Protection, to enable you to report an incident you only became aware of after your claims-made protection membership ends. Alternatively, if you continue to practice after ceasing Medical Protection membership, you may be able to make arrangements with your new provider to allow you to report the incident to them.