- Does the level of service from the MDU differ between claims made and occurrence membership?
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No. All members of the MDU can access the same expert medico-legal advice, guidance and support.
- How much will I have to pay for an extended reporting period?
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There is no additional subscription in most cases for:
- members who retire permanently from practice due to disability
- members who die
- members who have had membership for 10 years or more, have reached the retirement age for their NHS pension scheme, and are retiring from clinical practice.
There is an annual subscription for an extended reporting period for members who resign from claims made membership in any other circumstances.
The cost of an extended reporting period will depend on a number of factors. They include how long you have been in claims made membership, your claims history, and the extent and nature of your work during these membership years.
As a guide, the estimated annual cost of an extended reporting period, across all the years in which it is payable, is unlikely to be more than two and a half times the highest subscription you paid during your claims made membership period. The granting of an extended reporting period is at the discretion of the MDU Board of Management.
- What happens if I get notified of an incident from a time when I had occurrence membership?
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If your indemnity was provided on an occurrence basis before your claims made membership, you will be able to continue to ask for support for incidents that happened during your period of occurrence membership.
- What happens if I retire from practice?
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If you retire permanently from practice we can continue to help you with GMC investigations, claims or other matters that arise from incidents which have already been notified to us. However, you will need to apply for, and be granted, an extended reporting period to be able to seek assistance for any new matters arising from incidents which occurred while you were a member but which are notified later.
You may be granted an extended reporting period without any further payment if you have been in membership for ten years or more at the time you retire (and have reached the retirement age for your NHS pension scheme) or if you're forced to retire through disability and have taken ill health retirement under your NHS pension scheme.
- What happens if I want to take a career break or an extended period of leave (e.g. parental leave)?
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To be able to request assistance you will need to continue to pay a subscription. However, this is likely to be at a reduced rate as you will not be treating patients.
- What happens to incidents I have notified to the MDU when my membership year ends?
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Once we have formally agreed to help with an incident which happened during a previous membership period, you can expect our assistance to continue whether or not you renew your membership.
- When can I purchase an extended reporting period?
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You must apply for an extended reporting period before you resign from membership, or within 30 days of leaving.
In the event of your death, your personal representatives will have 30 days to apply for an extended reporting period once probate or letters of administration have been granted.
- Why is claims made membership less than the cost of occurrence membership? Will it suddenly rise once I am in the scheme?
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Claims made membership is naturally cheaper in the first few years as it can take a number of years for a claim to be notified. However, subscriptions are likely to rise over subsequent years, but are likely to remain below those of an equivalent occurrence subscription. You will need to apply for, and be granted, extended reporting benefits if you leave.