😢 Dentists (Indemnity Arrangements)

Commons Chamber

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Chris Vince, a new MP, introduced a Bill in Parliament to amend the Dentists Act 1984, aiming to close a loophole in dental indemnity arrangements that left a Harlow resident, Clive Worthington, without compensation after suffering from botched dental implants. Despite winning a high-value negligence case, Worthington received no payout due to the dentist’s discretionary indemnity cover, which ultimately contributed to his tragic suicide. The proposed Bill seeks to mandate that dentists have insurance policies rather than discretionary indemnity, hoping to prevent similar future cases. This legislative change is set for a second reading on June 13.

Summary

  • Introduced Bill: Chris Vince, MP for Harlow, presented a Bill to amend the Dentists Act 1984, focusing on improving indemnity arrangements for dentists.

  • Background Story: The Bill was inspired by the tragic case of Clive Worthington, a resident of Harlow. After undergoing dental implants in 2008, which led to ongoing pain and unsuccessful surgeries, Clive was awarded damages in 2019. However, the dentist was covered by the Dental Defence Union (DDU), which provided discretionary indemnity, not backed by an insurance contract. This prevented Clive from receiving compensation, leading to his suicide in 2022.

  • Current Indemnity Issue: The DDU and similar organizations offer discretionary professional indemnity, meaning they can choose whether to cover a claim. This differs from a standard insurance policy, which guarantees coverage.

  • Proposed Change: The Bill proposes to amend section 26A(2) of the Dentists Act 1984. Currently, “indemnity arrangements” can be insurance, another arrangement, or a combination. The amendment would change this to require a “policy of insurance” specifically, eliminating discretionary indemnity options.

  • Legislative Process: The Bill was proposed under Standing Order No. 23, moved forward to its First Reading, and is scheduled for its Second Reading on June 13.

  • Support and Collaboration: The Bill is co-sponsored by Josh Dean, Jen Craft, Will Stone, and Charlotte Nichols.

  • Consultation and Recommendations: The proposal builds on a 2018 consultation by the Department of Health and Social Care and aligns with recommendations from the Paterson inquiry, aiming to enhance patient safety and fairness in healthcare compensation.

Divisiveness

The session did not display significant disagreement. The transcript shows that Chris Vince, the Member of Parliament presenting the Bill, introduced it without any interruptions or objections from other members. The Bill was presented smoothly, and the motion for leave to bring in the Bill was agreed to without any recorded dissent. The entire process was straightforward and unanimous, as evidenced by the statement ‘Question put and agreed to.’ No debates, counterarguments, or alternative viewpoints were mentioned in the transcript, indicating a lack of disagreement during the session. The focus was solely on presenting the need for the Bill and the personal story behind it, without any challenge or discussion from other MPs.