Employer Cover, Personal Cover and NHS or Crown Indemnity

Different types of indemnity or insurance can meet the GDC requirement if they are appropriate for the work. The practical issue is not the label but whether the arrangement would protect patients if a successful claim is made and whether it covers the dental nurse's actual duties.

Employer-based cover is common for employed dental nurses. Personal cover may be needed for agency or self-employed work, for work at multiple sites, for duties outside an employer's policy, or when a nurse wants support that employer cover does not provide. NHS or Crown indemnity can apply in some directly employed NHS or HSC roles, but it has limits and does not automatically cover all dental practice work.

Questions that keep this practical

• Is the cover personal, employer-based, NHS or a mixture?
• Does it cover clinical negligence claims involving my work?
• Does it cover all sites, duties and working hours?
• Does it include advice for complaints or GDC concerns?
• What should I do if my role or employer changes?

Employer's liability and public liability insurance are not the same as professional indemnity. Be cautious if reassurance rests only on general business insurance.

Claims-made, occurrence-based and run-off cover

The right question is not "Is there some insurance?" It is "Does this arrangement cover my professional dental nursing work here, now, and if a patient claim is made later?"