Useful Links - Legal and Medical
Association of Personal Injury Lawyers
Web site for the professional body representing claimant personal injury solicitors.
www.apil.com
British Medical Association
Professional Association for doctors. Acts as a Trade Union, scientific and educational body.
www.bma.org.uk
General Dental Council
Regulates dental professionals in the UK. All dental hygienists and dental therapists have to be registered with the GDC.
www.gdc-uk.org
General Medical Council
Maintains the register of all doctors able to practise in the UK. Responsible for disciplining doctors when they breach the standards set, e.g. following proven allegations of misconduct. The GMC is also a charity whose purpose is the protection, promotion and maintenance of the health and safety of the community.
www.gmc-uk.org/
Health and Safety Commission
Has general oversight of the work of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) with power to delegate to the HSE any of its functions.
www.hse.gov.uk
Health and Safety Executive
Ensures that risks to health and safety from work activities are properly controlled. Has power to inspect. Individual NHS Trusts are selected for inspection on a range of criteria.
www.hse.gov.uk
LEGAL OMBUDSMAN
Legan Ombudsman provide a free service to members of the public who wish to complain about a lawyer. They look at all complaints in a fair and independent way and will not take sides.
www.legalombudsman.org.uk
National Institute for Clinical Excellence
Responsible for providing guidance to the NHS in connection with the use of specified medicines and treatments and the care and treatment of NHS patients with specified diseases.
www.nice.org.uk/
Nursing and Midwifery Council (previously the UKCC)
Maintains a register listing all nurses, midwives and health visitors in the UK, sets standards and guidelines. The NMC also quality assures the education provided to nurses and midwives. The NMC investigate allegations of misconduct etc.
www.nmc-uk.org/nmc/main/splash.html
National Patient Safety Agency
The NPSA was created to co-ordinate the efforts of all those involved in healthcare, to learn from patient safety incidents occurring in the NHS. The aim of the NPSA is to encourage doctors and other staff to report incidents and "near misses", when things almost go wrong and input into a national reporting and learning system. A key aim is to encourage staff to report incidents without fear of personal reprimand and know that by sharing their experiences others will be able to learn lessons and improve patient safety. The change of emphasis is more about the "how" than the "who". It does not investigate any individual case and is anonymous and confidential.
www.npsa.nhs.uk
Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
Undertake independent investigations into complaints about government departments, a range of other public bodies, and the NHS.
The Health Service Ombudsman investigates complaints that a hardship or injustice has been caused by the failure of the NHS to provide a service, by a failure in service, or by maladministration.
www.ombudsman.org.uk
Royal College of General Practitioners
Its aim is to encourage and maintain the highest standards of general medical practice and act as the ‘voice' of general practitioners on education, training and standards issues.
www.rcgp.org.uk/
Royal College of Nursing
Represents the interests of nurses, lobbies, government and others to develop and implement policy that improves the quality of patient care.
www.rcn.org.uk/
The Department For Constitutional Affairs
Here you can find out all the latest news about the civil justice system, recent developments regarding the funding of personal injury claims including "No Win-No Fee" and the most up to date version of the new Civil Procedure Rules.
http://www.dca.gov.uk/
The Law Society
The Law Society represents solicitors. From negotiating with and lobbying the profession's regulators, government and others, to offering training and advice, they help, protect and promote solicitors across England and Wales.
www.lawsociety.org.uk
Solicitors Regulation Authority
The Solicitors Regulation Authority deals with all regulatory and disciplinary matters, and sets, monitors and enforces standards for solicitors across England and Wales. Formerly known as the Law Society Regulation Board, it acts solely in the public interest.
www.sra.org.uk
Legal Complaints Service
The Legal Complaints Service is for members of the public wishing to make a complaint about solicitors. Formerly known as the Consumer Complaints Service, this independent and impartial body will work with solicitors to resolve any issues quickly and efficiently.
www.legalcomplaints.org.uk
