State backed indemnity PDA members ‘wrap around’ scheme for Senior GP Practice based pharmacists with ‘Members of’ Run off cover

This scheme is designed for those pharmacists who have commenced their work in a GP practice for the first time prior to April 1^st 2019.

This scheme combines two elements of cover. One is designed to provide comprehensive PDA membership benefits whilst wrapping around the CNSGP scheme which only operates in England and Wales, resulting in significantly reduced indemnity premiums.

The second provides indemnity ‘Run Off’ cover for incidents occurring prior to 1st April 2019 as these are not covered by CNSGP.

The first element provides a layer of independent indemnity cover for those activities covered by the CNSGP as well as medico-legal protection which is not provided by  the State backed indemnity scheme (CNSGP).

Wrapping around the State backed indemnity scheme known as the Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice (CNSGP) by providing up to £250,000 of indemnity in a GP practice for each member for each year. This membership scheme enables the PDA to engage in the active defence of the member in the event of a claim. (only applicable in England and Wales for indemnity claims that would be covered by CNSGP). It also provides £500,000 of legal defence costs for each member for each year to support pharmacists in medico-legal proceedings in the event of GP practice based incidents as these are not covered by CNSGP. Additionally, it provides a choice of either £5 or £10 million of professional indemnity and public liability cover for each member for each year for any portfolio work undertaken in any other sectors of pharmacy.

The second element relies upon a ‘members of scheme’ for ‘Run Off’ with a combined scheme limit of £30 million per year in total to be shared by all members of the scheme which is subject to a maximum individual limit of £10 million per member.

This scheme provides ‘Run Off’ cover for any historical liabilities which go back to incidents that occurred prior to April 1^st 2019 but for which claims emerged after that date as these will not be covered by CNSGP.

The combined scheme provides a choice of Clinical and Senior Clinical level of cover as well as an option for with and without IP

What is Run Off cover? CNSGP EXCLUSIONS FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The new indemnity scheme developed by the PDA specifically for senior GP practice based pharmacists who are working predominantly in a GP surgery based in England and Wales which is covered by the State Backed indemnity scheme (CNSGP). Because it is designed to wrap around the CNSGP for its indemnity, it covers all the activities that pharmacists involved in GP practice-based work will be involved in except for those activities excluded by CNSGP. It is based on the clinical and senior clinical job profile that has been developed by the NHS for clinical pharmacists working in GP practice. In addition to the indemnity and legal defence costs protection, PDA membership provides a very wide range of non-insurance related benefits that pharmacists working in this exciting area – perhaps for the first time will find invaluable.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Its main underwriting principle is extremely uncomplicated;

If you are undertaking a senior GP Practice based role that appears on a job specification that is either NHS approved or capable of being NHS approved and which would be considered as a role appropriate for a pharmacist by the General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC) and for which you are appropriately qualified, then you are covered.

It covers pharmacists working in the following settings;

• • GP surgery
  • Clinic
  • Care Home
  • Out of Hours service connected to a GP surgery
  • The cover is also automatically provided for work in other settings as part of a portfolio career such as working in a community or hospital pharmacy setting either as a locum or as an employee.

Whilst the scheme has been designed to support the GP practice based programme, it is suitable for any pharmacist primarily working clinically in a GP practice whether via the NHS funded scheme, or working clinically in a GP surgery in some other capacity.

Cover under this policy excludes:

• • Activities excluded by the State Backed Indemnity scheme
  • Call centre activity to include NHS 24/7 or NHS 111 or similar
  • Business consultancy where indemnity is required for commercial liability risks
  • Independent Prescribing
  • Professional Indemnity for non pharmacy related Covid 19 work (this pursuant to the Coronavirus Act 2020 would be covered by a state scheme)