MPS0333 UK Cons rates April 2009:87127_MPS0333 24/3/09 13:50 Page 1

MEDICAL PROTECTION SOCIETY

PROFESSIONAL SUPPORT AND EXPERT ADVICE

Hospital doctors and

private specialist
practitioners
in the United Kingdom

SUBSCRIPTION RATES APRIL 2009

MPS0333 UK Cons rates April 2009:87127_MPS0333 24/3/09 13:50 Page 2

MEMBERSHIP HELPLINE 0845 718 7187

Consultants and
private specialists
Your subscription rate is determined according to your specialty and the
amount you expect to earn from specialist unindemnified practice during your
membership year for which you are seeking an indemnity from MPS. As a mutual
organisation we require members to declare these earnings in order that the
appropriate subscription can be collected. MPS reserves the right to ask for
evidence of income at any time. Failure to disclose full and accurate information
about your income may invalidate your membership.The benefits of membership
are only available to members paying the appropriate subscription.
Your remuneration includes fees, salary, benefits, profit, dividends and bonuses
that derive from your private practice in the membership year, whether these
are retained by you or are subsequently paid to you through a limited company
or otherwise. You may deduct legitimate practice expenses ie, expenditure
incurred wholly and exclusively for the purposes of your practice as declared
to the Inland Revenue up to a limit of 25% of your gross remuneration.

(£)INCOME GRADE 1A 2A 2 3A 3 4A 4B 4
0 BMC 560 560 560 560 560 560 560 560
1 to 7,500 CA 1500 1,070 795 635 600 575 575 575
7,501 to 15,000 CB 10,650 7,250 4,425 3,540 2,125 1,845 1,615 925
15,001 to 25,000 CC 16,065 11,160 6,665 5,330 3,160 2,715 2,375 1,365
25,001 to 35,000 CD 19,825 13,855 8,225 6,580 3,850 3,305 2,895 1,700
35,001 to 50,000 CE 23,745 16,620 9,925 7,940 4,470 3,850 3,335 2,030
50,001 to 75,000 CF 27,875 19,410 11,670 9,335 5,295 4,580 4,035 2,345
75,001 to 100,000 CH 32,340 22,300 13,365 10,690 6,255 5,435 4,760 2,735
100,001 to 125,000 CI 35,280 24,085 14,930 11,945 6,985 6,005 5,255 3,025
125,001 to 175,000 CJ 37,790 25,675 16,415 13,130 8,030 7,120 6,225 3,325
175,001 to 225,000 CK 40,125 27,250 17,920 14,335 8,550 7,605 6,655 3,535
225,001 to 300,000 CL 42,575 28,910 18,700 14,960 8,920 7,935 6,950 3,690
300,001 to 400,000 CM 45,155 30,655 19,505 15,605 9,305 8,280 7,245 3,855
400,001 to 500,000 CN 48,335 32,805 20,545 16,435 9,800 8,720 7,635 4,055
Above 500,001 CQ 51,715 35,015 21,635 17,310 10,325 9,180 8,035 4,275

For income paid into department funds and medicolegal income please refer to pages 3 and 4

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MPS0333 UK Cons rates April 2009:87127_MPS0333
MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS
are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.
Specialty groupings
Group 1
Obstetrics – the management of
pregnancy after 24 weeks gestation.
If you do any private obstetric
practice please call Membership
Services on 0845 718 7187.
Group 1A
Neurosurgery, spinal surgery
(surgical procedures performed
on the spine and/or meninges),
plastic surgery (for members
on the specialist register in
plastic/reconstructive surgery).
Group 2A
Gynaecology and non-spinal trauma
and orthopaedic surgery.
If you undertake any refractive laser
surgery please contact Membership
Services.
Group 2
Cardiac surgery; cardiothoracic
surgery; colorectal surgery;
general surgery; thoracic surgery;
urology; vascular surgery.
Important information – please read
If any of your work extends beyond the UK please provide us with details before
commencing practice.
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Group 3A
Ophthalmology (excluding refractive
laser surgery) and otorhinolaryngology.
Group 3
Cardiology; paediatric surgery.
Group 4A
Neurology; radiology; accident and
emergency.
Group 4B
Anaesthetics.
Group 4
Allergy; alternative medicine;
audiological medicine; community
health; dermatology; endocrinology;
gastroenterology; general medicine;
genetics; genitourinary medicine;
geriatric medicine; health screening;
intensive care; internal medicine;
neo-natology; nephrology; nuclear
medicine; occupational health;
oncology; pathology (including
Home Office pathology); paediatrics
(excludes surgery); psychiatry;
radiotherapy; rehabilitation medicine;
respiratory medicine; rheumatology.
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EMAIL member.help@mps.org.uk

Specialties and private practice

Multiple specialties
If you practise more than one specialty, you should tell us your income from each
specialty. We also need to know your earnings from private clinical practice
separate from your medicolegal income and any other non-clinical work.

Private practice and other earnings

As you will only be able to estimate your earnings from private practice and
other sources, please contact membership services if subsequently your
actual income is different. We will then adjust your subscription accordingly
and a payment supplement may be required.

Services provided
A member who practises in both the NHS and private sector will generally
only be indemnified for those procedures carried out in the private sector if
they also form part of NHS duties.

Least risk*
This category may be available to you if your work does not invlolve any
individual/specific patient management, diagnosis or treatment. The current
rate is £540. This excludes medicolegal work – see page 5, for occupational
health see pages 1 and 2 and for public health consultants see page 5.

Non-clinical*
This category may be available to you if your work does not involve any face
to face contact with patients eg, medical statisticians and administrative staff
of the Department of Health, NHS Executive or PCT. The current rate is £460.

Home Office pathologists

If you are a Home Office pathologist, please pay your subscription based on
your income and specialty group 4. You may deduct any administration fees
and exclude income from coroner’s autopsy work.

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MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS

are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Income into the department funds

MPS regards any clinical or professional work you undertake which is not
indemnified through an honorary NHS contract, or similar means, as private
practice. You will need to declare how much you earn from such work,
because this affects your subscription. You may exclude income from
category 2 work (for example, insurance reports, cremation certificates).
This assessment of private income should reflect fees earned from clinical
research and drug trials, whether received personally or paid into
departmental funds.

Category 2/Medicolegal practice

Income from some category 2 sources can be excluded from your private
practice income (eg insurance reports, cremation certificates).
However, we do need to know about income from medicolegal practice. MPS
defines medicolegal practice as ‘examinations and/or reports prepared in the
context of prospective and/or actual proceedings in the civil and criminal
courts’. This income can be separated from clinical private practice income.
Contact Membership Services on 0845 718 7187 for guidance.

*Important information – please read

Least risk and Non-clinical rate

If you would like to apply for either the Least Risk or Non-clinical rate, please send written
details of your scope of practice to Membership Services.

Change of membership grade

If you tell us about a grade change that results in a lower subscription rate, a refund of
up to one year’s subscription overpayment may be available.

Duration of membership
Membership of MPS is normally available on an annual basis. In some circumstances
new members may be offered 6 months’ membership.

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MEMBERSHIP HELPLINE 0845 718 7187

Others

GRADE RATE (£)

Part-time DWP (Benefits Agency) doctors BA 620
PCT indemnified GPs GPE 1,135
Armed forces/prison service GPs AP7 785
Palliative medicine physicians PA7 910
Pharmaceutical physicians PPA 615
Public health consultants PHL 560
Research clinicians REC 690
Medicolegal: (For a definition of medicolegal work, see page 4
Rate for doctors whose income for medicolegal work is less than £7,500 MLX 600
Medicolegal I:
Rate for doctors whose income from medicolegal work is between £7,501 ML1 970
and £25,000.

Medicolegal II:
Rate for doctors whose income from medicolegal work is between £25,001 ML2 1,410
and £61,000.

Medicolegal III:
Rate for doctors whose income from medicolegal work is £61,001 or more. MLZ 2,410

Retired/deferred membership (RDM)

Free membership is offered to members who have retired or voluntarily
undertake no active practice at all. It may also be appropriate for those who
are temporarily not practising – for example due to maternity leave, sabbaticals
or other prolonged absence from work for three months or more. Holidays do
not count.
Should you at some date recommence work, your normal membership can be
resumed upon payment of the appropriate subscription. NB: It is important to
contact MPS before you return to work in order to be eligible for the benefits
of membership. Contact Membership Services for further details.
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MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS

are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

Unindemnified medical practice

This is medical work for which you would look to MPS for your indemnity.
This includes private practice and activity such as health screening, work as
a forensic medical examiner (police surgeon), etc.
The income bands on page 1 refer to the pre-tax income you expect to
earn from all unindemnified practice in the current subscription year, after
the deduction of practice expenses up to a limit of 25% of your gross
renumeration (eg, rental of medical consulting rooms and associated costs,
medical secretary or support).

Limitations of NHS indemnity

Whilst working within the NHS you will be protected against the financial
consequences of negligence by NHS indemnity. However, there are many
other problems that you may encounter in your professional work where you
can apply to MPS for assistance.

Service NHS indemnity MPS membership

Coroners’ inquests No Yes

Advice on complaints No Yes
Good Samaritan acts No Yes
GMC proceedings No Yes
Criminal matters arising from medical
practice, eg, manslaughter No Yes
Insurance and other medical reports No Yes

Ombudsman and public inquiries No Yes

Ethical matters No Yes

Press and media enquiries No Yes

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EMAIL member.help@mps.org.uk

NHS hospital doctors

For Specialty training in general practice please contact Membership

Services on 0845 718 7187

GRADE RATE (£)

Foundation programme
Foundation year 1 (F1) BMJ/BMD 10
Foundation year 2 (F2) BM2 40

Specialty Registrar and Core Trainees (not GP training)

Specialty registrar (StR1 and CT1) S1T 48
Specialty registrar (StR2 and CT2) S2T 60
Specialty registrar (StR3 and CT3) S3T 60
Specialty registrar (StR4) S4T 190
Specialty registrar (StR5) S5T 200
Specialty registrar (StR6) S6T 275
Specialty registrar (StR7) S7T 275
Specialty registrar (part-time) PST 60
Fixed Term Specialty Training Appointment (FTSTA)
Years 1–3 FTA 48

Specialist registrar grade 1/2 Time B50 145

(including senior registrar and registrar) 3/4 Time B75 225
Full Rate BMS 275

Career grades
Staff grade 1/2 Time C50 215
3/4 Time C75 315
Full Rate CMS 420

Associate specialist 1/2 Time C50 215

3/4 Time C75 315
Full Rate CMS 420

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MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS

are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

GRADE RATE (£)

Clinical assistant 1/2 Time C50 215

3/4 Time C75 315
Full Rate CMS 420

Clinical medical officer 1/2 Time C50 215

3/4 Time C75 315
Full Rate CMS 420

Senior clinical medical officer 1/2 Time C50 215

3/4 Time C75 315
Full Rate CMS 420

Work outside the NHS

You can earn up to £7,500pa. gross for full-time (pro rata for part-time) from
other non-specialist unindemnified practice (see definition below) and still pay
these rates. This applies provided the earnings do not derive from obstetric,
cosmetic/aesthetic (including Botox or collagen treatments), refractive laser
work, terminations of pregnancy, circumcision, any services in primary care
– eg, GP freelance or out-of-hours work, or maxillo-facial surgery and any work
undertaken outside the UK, in which case you should contact Membership
Services on 0845 718 7187 for advice.
Non-specialist unindemnified practice is defined as practice carried out for a
third party where the doctor providing the treatment is not the clinician in
overall charge of the clinical care of the patient. Please contact us if your
income from this source exceeds the above limits.

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MPS0333 UK Cons rates April 2009:87127_MPS0333
MEMBERSHIP HELPLINE 0845 718 7187
An easy way to pay
Provided your annual subscription is
not less than £100, you can spread
the cost of your subscription at no
extra cost by paying in 10 monthly
instalments by direct debit. We
strongly recommend that you choose
this payment option since it offers a
number of notable advantages to
both you and MPS.
Ease of payment
Spreading out payment over months
2 to 11 of your subscription year will
assist your personal cash flow.
No surcharge
There is no additional interest or
administrative charge if you pay in
instalments.
Efficiency
Collection of your subscription by
direct debit is more efficient for the
MPS, allowing us to achieve cost
savings which can ultimately be
passed on to you, the member.
Convenience
Your subscription will be renewed
automatically each year. However,
if your personal or professional
circumstances have changed you
must contact Membership Services
to ensure that you are paying the
correct subscription.
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Security
Automatic renewal of your MPS
membership will help avoid a lapse in
your membership.
Direct debit guarantee
This guarantee is offered by all banks
and building societies that take part
in the direct debit scheme. The
efficiency and security of the scheme
is monitored and protected by your
own bank or building society. If the
amounts to be paid or the payment
dates change MPS will notify you ten
working days in advance of your
account being debited or as
otherwise agreed.
If an error is made by MPS or your
bank or building society you are
guaranteed a full and immediate
refund from your branch of the
amount paid.
You can cancel a direct debit at
any time by writing to your bank or
building society. Please also send a
copy of your letter to MPS.
Important information
Tax
Your subscription may be accepted
by the Inland Revenue as a legitimate
professional expense for income tax
purposes.
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MPS is not an insurance company. All the benefits of membership of MPS

are discretionary as set out in the Memorandum and Articles of Association.

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Membership Services Telephone 0845 718 7187

Medical Protection Society Facsimile 0113 241 0500
Granary Wharf House member.help@mps.org.uk
Leeds LS11 5PY www.mps.org.uk

The Medical Protection Society is the leading provider

of comprehensive professional indemnity and expert
advice to doctors, dentists and health professionals
around the world. We are a mutual, not-for-profit
organisation offering more than 260,000 members help
with legal and ethical problems that arise from their
professional practice. This includes clinical negligence
claims, complaints, medical council inquiries, legal and
ethical dilemmas, disciplinary procedures, inquests and
fatal-accident inquiries.

Fairness is at the heart of how we conduct our business.

We actively protect and promote the interests of members
and the wider profession. Equally, we believe that patients
who have suffered harm from negligent treatment should
receive fair compensation. We promote safer practice by
running risk management and education programmes to
reduce avoidable harm.

MPS is not an insurance company. The benefits of

membership are discretionary – this allows us the
flexibility to provide help and support even in unusual
circumstances.

The Medical Protection Society Limited

A company limited by guarantee
Registered in England No. 36142 at
33 Cavendish Square, London
W1G 0PS, UK.

Information in this booklet was correct at the time of

going to press – March 2009. Please visit our website
for the most up-to-date information.
Cover image © istockphoto.com

MPS0333: 03/09