Existing Liabilities Scheme for General Practice

NHS Resolution is an arm’s length body of the Department of Health and Social Care. Our purpose is to provide expertise to the NHS on resolving concerns fairly, sharing learning for improvement and preserving resources for patient care.

Read more information on what we do.

If you have an ongoing case, you should have details of your dedicated case handler who can talk to you about any aspect of your case.  NHS Resolution’s GP indemnity team has a wealth of expertise in managing clinical negligence claims across both primary and secondary care.  NHS Resolution will instruct lawyers from its approved panel, all of whom are highly skilled and experienced in managing clinical negligence claims.  If lawyers have been instructed to manage the claim on your behalf they will be your best first point of contact.

For any general queries, please contact NHS Resolution by:

1. Email – ELSGPnotifications@resolution.nhs.uk

– setting out the basis of your enquiry and we will either respond by email or telephone to discuss the issue further. Do not send any documents via email as they may contain patient sensitive data. Do not include any patient sensitive data in your email.

2. Telephone – call our Claims Helpline 0800 030 6798 at any time; 24 hours a day, 365 day a year to speak to a legal advisor about any clinical negligence claims covered by ELSGP, but not medico-legal matters, which will be handled by your MDO (or any other provider).

NHS Resolution’s aim is to help you to resolve any claim for compensation brought against you by a patient in relation to their clinical care under the NHS as fairly and as quickly as possible. Claims will be investigated thoroughly and compensation will be paid where our investigation confirms that this is due. We will seek your agreement to make admissions of liability, which mirrors our approach across all indemnity schemes operated by NHS Resolution (including the Clinical Negligence Scheme for General Practice and the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts). Where appropriate we will defend the case on your behalf, calling upon the very best expertise to do so. In all cases, we will do all that we can to keep the matter out of formal court proceedings.

In the first instance you should speak with your MDO.  It is important to do this as soon as you become aware of your involvement or potential involvement in an inquest, so they can provide you with as much support as possible.  Late notification may limit the extent of assistance that can be provided by your MDO.

NHS Resolution will only become involved if a claim is intimated or likely.  If you believe that being involved in an inquest is linked to an incident that could result in a potential claim under the Existing Liabilities Scheme for General Practice or whether a matter should be reported, please contact NHS Resolution by:

1. Email – nhsr.elsgpnotifications@nhs.net

– setting out the basis of your enquiry and we will either respond by email or telephone to discuss the issue further. Do not send any documents via email as they may contain patient sensitive data. Do not include any patient sensitive data in your email.

2. Telephone – call our Claims Helpline 0800 030 6798 at any time; 24 hours a day, 365 day a year to speak to a legal advisor about any clinical negligence claims covered by ELSGP and not medico-legal matters that will be handled by your MDO (or any other provider).

For guidance and background NHS Resolution has made three short films providing information on what to expect when called to an inquest. They can be viewed here.