• The police show up at your surgery demanding access to a patient’s record.
• The Ex of a deceased patient is constantly calling for details of the patient’s record… you have been avoiding their calls, but this is getting more frequent and aggressive.
• You have concerns about providing oxygen to patients at home, because of the risk of fire, explosions etc.
Healthcare organisations face many complicated and unexpected legal and regulatory issues such as these real life scenarios.
What should you do if you are faced with scenarios like this?
Did you know that CNA Hardy Healthcare policyholders have access to a 24/7 dedicated phone line for medicolegal advice? Just call this number to reach the right person, at the right moment, when it really matters.
Here are a few things you should know about the service:
• You have direct access to a team of specialty health solicitors
CNA Hardy has partnered with Hill Dickinson, to give our policyholders direct access to their team of specialty health solicitors. Just dial the Medico-Legal Advice line for expert advice on any of the following issues:
o Medical ethics
o Confidentiality/Freedom of Information/DPA
o Treatment of children/vulnerable adults
o Emergency treatment orders/injunctions/withholding treatment
o Mental health and mental capacity treatment issues including Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
o Consent/treatment risk and best interests evaluation
o Managing an emergency, sudden death or adverse incident
• The service is complimentary
The Medico-Legal Advice Line is a complimentary service, provided as part of your policy benefits. It is available to you 24 hours a day, every day of the week.
• Just one number to call for all Medico-Legal advice
To find the telephone number, look for an insert in your original policy document called ‘Medico-Legal Advice Line.’ If you are unable to find the insert, please contact your CNA Hardy underwriter.
About our Medical Liability Healthcare Package
The Medico-Legal Advice line is available to all who purchase CNA Hardy’s healthcare package. It was recently enhanced with market leading cover including:
• Business Growth Coverage – our Healthcare package allows automatic coverage as businesses grow organically, by tender bids and through acquisitions. Any newly acquired subsidiary has 60 days’ automatic cover, and new contracts are covered until policy expiry, alleviating last minute panics about securing insurance. We want our clients focussed on delivering healthcare so designed our policy to grow with them.
• Allowances for the Ebb and Flow of Services - likewise, we understand that your business will grow in some areas and shrink in others as the market evolves. We don’t want our clients worrying about whether the changes constitute a material change that affects policy coverage, so we’ve added affirmative cover for business growth and automatic run-off for when some services are discontinued, while you focus on other opportunities.
• Affirmative Abuse Cover - Healthcare facilities are under increased cost pressure in the current economic climate and, where there is understaffing, it is proven that the risk of patient abuse increases. With traditional insurance policies, organisations would be unsure whether they would be covered for abuse allegations under a public liability or medical malpractice policy. CNA Hardy has introduced affirmative abuse cover to remove this grey area, so policyholders are assured that they are covered if someone were to accuse their organisation of systemic abuse.
• Standalone Cover for Regulatory & Inquest Costs – our enhanced Healthcare package now offers on demand coverage for regulatory and inquest costs regardless of whether or not a Medical Liability claim is also likely to follow – a major difference from market standard.
• Good Samaritans Act Coverage Worldwide – our medical malpractice cover is now available for a doctor or nurse on holiday anywhere in the world. Policyholders will now be free to assist anyone, anywhere, in case of a medical emergency.
The information contained in this document does not represent a complete analysis of the topics presented and is provided for information purposes only. It is not intended as legal advice and no responsibility can be accepted by CNA Hardy for any reliance placed upon it. Legal advice should always be obtained before applying any information to the particular circumstances. Please remember that only the relevant insurance policy can provide the actual terms, coverages, amounts, conditions and exclusions for an insured. All products may not be available in all countries.