UKIM News ::

We can help you to reduce the length of your PI cases


What do you have to do?
Ensure that you provide us with your clients e-mail address and mobile telephone number.

67 percent of the UK adult population, thats 31.8 million adults, now have access to the internet. 67 percent access it every day and 85 percent of users specifically log on to check and send e-mails (1).

At UKIM, the efficiency benefits that we gain from communicating with your clients by e-mail are passed directly on to you, as we ensure that the medical report gets to you with minimal or no delays.

ONS statistics show that in 2006, 79 percent of UK households owned at least one mobile telephone and 68 percent of adults in Great Britain had received an SMS message (1).

If we are supplied with your clients mobile telephone number, this not only gives us another contact option, but it also allows us to reduce the likelihood of your client missing / not attending their appointment as we send SMS appointment reminders 3 days and 1 day before their medical appointment.

Electronic communication is a proven quick, efficient, cost effective and environmentally conscious way to communicate and is now rapidly becoming the preferred method of communication for our clients to receive correspondence from us. So if you are not already doing so, provide us with your clients e-mail address and mobile telephone number (where available) to benefit from reduced case length.

UKIM are currently delivering GP medical reports within 41 days of instruction (2). Please be advised that if you require a client appointment to take place between specific intervals, this could cause a delay in notification of the appointment.

(1) Data derived from 2007 National Statistics Omnibus Survey
(2) Figure equates to 90 percent of all GP reports, the conversion rate for 100 percent of GP reports is 50 days. The conversion rate for 90 percent of reports for all disciplines is 44 days and for 100 percent, the rate is 54 days. These figures include cases where the instructing solicitor requests that a specific timeframe elapses before a client appointment takes place. All figures include reports with and without a medical records review. Conversion rate data is taken from the date UKIM was instructed to the quality checked report being delivered. The above figures are taken from data captured from the 6 months prior to 15th May 2008.

UKIM are pleased to announce the launch of its Proactive Rehabilitation service to all solicitor clients.

Proactive Rehabilitation or “Triage” has been a buzz word in the industry for some time now, but little has been done to pass the advantages of this service onto the client.

The service entails contacting the client at the earliest convenience (usually at the request for expert nominations stage) using qualified staff and identifying whether the need for rehabilitation exists and if so, providing the client with the relevant treatment.

Providing this service to your client not only assists their recovery dramatically but also provides you, the solicitor, with enhanced client service, client capture and commercial benefits.

We would welcome your interest further.

For more information, please call Ian Scanlan, Business Development, on 0870 787 0273 or e-mail ians@ukindmed.com.

Whats Changed?
It had historically been HM Revenue and Customs view that where a medical professional provided services using his/her professional training and knowledge, that these services should be exempt from VAT.

However in the case of Dr Peter d Ambrumenil and Dispute Resolution Services, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) ruled that the UK VAT exemption for medical services was too wide. Therefore, from 1 May 2007 the UK amended the exemption from VAT for health services and as a result some services, previously exempt, became liable to VAT at the standard rate.

Whats Vatable?
The services concerned in the case, involved the examination and/or testing of individuals and the preparation of medical reports, which were predominantly carried out for insurance companies and employers or for legal proceedings in, for example, personal liability cases.

The court held that the existing exemption should be restricted to medical care, which it defined as those services intended principally to protect (including maintain and restore) the health of an individual. Medical services which are primarily for the purpose of enabling a third party to take a decision – many of which were then currently exempt from VAT under UK law – therefore became taxable.

One specific service supplied by health professionals and identified by the court as not intended principally to protect the health of the person concerned, and which therefore became taxable as of 1st May 2007 included:

Medical examinations conducted with the aim of preparing an expert medical report regarding issues of liability and the quantification of damages for individuals contemplating personal injury litigation.

How will you be affected?
It is important to note that any invoices raised in this respect on or after the 1st May 2007 therefore attract a VAT element, which is applicable regardless of whether or not the actual Medical Examination took place prior to this date.

It has been a common misconception that VAT cannot be charged by medical agencies on their invoice for obtaining health records, however it is clear that from the legislation outlined, that the invoice raised from the Medical Agency to the Solicitor or Third Party Insurer does not fall within the scope of the exemption.

Medical Records
One question frequently asked of HMRC in the months following May 2007 was in relation to VAT on health records. HMRC confirmed that the maximum fee remains at £50 (or £10 in the case of records held electronically), even for doctors and practices registered for VAT.

This is a statutory amount and the fee remains outside the scope of VAT where the notes are requested under one of the four following statutory requirements:

1. Data Protection Act 1998 – requests for copies of personal data are termed “Subject Access Requests” (“SAR”).

2. Access to Medical Reports Act 1988 – this Act governs access to medical reports made by the person’s own GP for insurance or employment purposes.

3. Access to Health Records Act 1990 and Access to health Records (Northern Ireland) Order 1993 – this legislation facilitates the access to the health records of a deceased person.

However where a copy of a health record is provided in circumstances that do not fall within one of these statutory obligations, that is a taxable supply, and liable to VAT at the standard-rate.

If you require further information regarding VAT, please contact HMRC or visit www.hmrc.gov.uk.

As UKIM continues to grow we are delighted to announce that we have a number of Client Service Administrator vacancies.

Interested parties should visit the Recruitment section of this website for further information and an application form. Alternatively you can contact Sharon Edwards at sharone@ukindmed.com.

Durham based legal training company, Legal Evolve will host a Solicitors Regulation Authority accredited event in Manchester on Thursday 6th March, where representatives from some of the countrys largest law firms will meet to learn about proactive client rehabilitation for those involved in personal injury claims.

With significant recent advancements in the rehabilitation concept and an increased obligation on Solicitors and Insurers to explore early intervention, and to take a longer term view beyond simply the payment of compensation; Rehab provider TICCS will speak about early rehabilitation delivery in order to maximise client recovery on medical, social, psychological and financial grounds. An Insurers viewpoint on rehabilitation will be provided by David Fisher, Liability Claims Manager at AXA Insurance, where he will discuss how rehabilitation fits into the claims process, apparent disproportionate outcomes, the use of triage and specifically the use of the concept - in the best interests of the client.

AXAs David Fisher will also deliver a session on how the Personal Injury market has developed and how businesses will have to re-shape. Specifically he will discuss the MoJ Reforms and the Legal Services Act and how Solicitors are now more heavily controlled by Legal Expense and Motor Insurers regarding their sources of work.

In addition Gordon Exall, a PI Specialist from Leeds based Zenith Chambers will provide a comprehensive PI Litigation update, offering a barristers viewpoint and ideas on innovative methods to legal proceedings.

Catastrophic injury specialists, Stewarts Solicitors who have offices in London and Leeds will speak at the Manchester seminar about the management of catastrophic injury cases. Specifically, Daniel Herman who heads up the Personal Injury Department in Leeds, will discuss the importance of using specialist Solicitors who are able to deal with the complexities of such cases. Discussion will surround the key concept that individuals who have suffered a catastrophic injury (where typically there has been a severe trauma to the head or spine during an RTA, accident at work or clinical negligence) can benefit from a specialist who is able to anticipate and co-ordinate rehabilitation needs and obtain interim payments from the defendant to fund private care programmes, equipment, aids and specially adapted vehicles. Stewarts Solicitors have recovered in excess of £50 million in damages from UK Insurers in 2006.

To conclude the seminar, Bury based Nestor Partnership will provide financial advice in personal injury cases of a high value or catastrophic nature. On 1st April 2005, the Courts were given the power to order periodical payments instead of lump sum awards in respect of damages awarded in personal injury cases, in an effort by the Department for Constitutional Affairs to remove the investment risk and lack of security from claimants. The nature of these payments requires a specialist and impartial approach.

Owned by UK Independent Medical, which manages over 27,000 accident related medical reports per year for major Solicitors and Insurers, Legal Evolve has delivered a series of advanced legal seminars around the country on live topics affecting the legal, insurance and claims management industries.

Any Solicitors attending this event will receive 4 hours and 35 minutes of authorised SRA CPD credit.

Said Andrea Mason, Legal Evolve: “With case law developing rapidly, these legal updates give lawyers access to timely information on a cost effective basis. We run these seminars on a not-for-profit basis with the primary objective being to support lawyers and facilitate their understanding of legal issues via authoritative comment from high profile speakers from our industry. All of our speakers involvement in the Manchester event allows us the perfect platform on which to raise understanding and awareness of the legal issues currently affecting the personal injury world, with a view to ensuring better access to justice for individuals".

She adds,

"These events bring together a range of representatives from the industry and urge debate, improvements and encourage synergy in approaches to Personal Injury."

UK Independent Medical (UKIM), the Durham based medico-legal organisation, has recently formed a strategic alliance with Portsmouth-based TICCS (The Injury Care Clinics) to provide rehabilitation and medical reporting services to both Insurers and Personal Injury Solicitors.

It is now acknowledged that early intervention and assessment of an injured clients needs does result in the best likely opportunity to recover from their accident and return to the best available quality of life. Neil Howden, TICCS Senior Manager for the Legal Market will be speaking at a Legal Evolve seminar in Manchester on 6th March about the benefits of proactive rehabilitation, along with AXA Insurance Claims Manager, David Fisher.

UKIM already provide rehabilitation services to a number of Claimant Solicitors across the country, however with an increased obligation of Solicitors and Insurers to explore early intervention and to look longer term and beyond simply the payment of compensation, UKIM will work with TICCS to enhance their service offering and directly contribute to the mitigation of claims to the Insurance industry. Early intervention and assessment allows claimants medical situations and long term prognosis to be improved by appropriate medical treatment at the earliest practical opportunity rather than waiting until claimants claims have been settled.

Said Ian Scanlan, Area Sales Manager, UK Independent Medical: “TICCS is an established and reputable provider of rehabilitation services to the Insurance market and we are delighted to be working with them to directly contribute to reducing the long term health, social and financial costs of injury to individuals by facilitating their recovery.”

Said Neil Howden, Senior Manager – Legal Market, TICCS: “As the leading independent provider of accident related rehabilitation services, TICCS are delighted to partner with UKIM in providing their clients with early medical intervention and assessment to enhance their opportunity of recovery.”

With access to a full range of Rehabilitation services through TICCS, UKIM will be able to offer claimants with minor, moderate or catastrophic injuries the opportunity to improve their quality of life; an issue that is now acknowledged by Insurers as being equally as important as the payment of just, full and proper compensation.

UK Independent Medical (UKIM), the Durham based medico-legal organisation, has been awarded the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) contract for the provision of Managed Registered Medical Practitioners and Medical Examiner Services for its Fitness to Practice regulatory function.

This is the first time the NMC have outsourced their Fitness to Practice (FtP) work and in December 2007, UKIM was selected as the sole provider to carry out the 3-year contract, based on their ability to provide excellent quality for the best possible value.

From its nationwide panel of medical practitioners, UKIM will provide senior Occupational Health Physicians to sit as members on the NMCs Fitness to Practice panel. This panel investigates cases where allegations of impairment of fitness to practice have been made against nurses and midwives on grounds including misconduct, lack of competence and ill health.

Where there is an allegation that a registrants fitness to practice is impaired by issues with their physical or mental health, UKIM will also provide experts in a range of specialities to prepare medical examinations and comprehensive reports on the registrants condition and recommendations regarding forward management of the case. These reports will be delivered to the NMC within 21 days of the registrant being examined.

Said: Ian Scanlan, Area Sales Manager, UK Independent Medical, “We are delighted to have won this contract and with our sector-specific experience and proven track record, we will work with the NMC to implement a framework arrangement to deliver a comprehensive service in each of the four UK countries”.

Ranked in the top seven medico-legal providers, UKIM were selected from a number of other providers after initially submitting a tender in August 2007. A number of principal functions were considered as part of UKIM’s proposal including the use of bespoke case handling software to allow optimum case processing efficiencies; a systematic and rigorous approach to expert management, a bespoke management reporting facility and a highly skilled workforce.

UKIMs sister company, Legal Evolve is set to deliver another SRA CPD accredited legal seminar - this time at the Lowry Arts and Entertainment Centre (M50 3AZ) in Manchester on Thursday 6th March.

With more early intervention in the claims process allowing for the delivery of rehabilitation programmes to injured clients, Neil Howden from The Injury Care Clinics (TICCS) will speak about the provision of rehabilitation in order to maximise client recovery on medical, social and psychological levels. David Fisher of AXA Insurance will also comment on rehabilitation from an Insurer perspective as well as speaking about the market in general.

A full PI litigation update and a discussion about Claims Referral Regulation will be provided by Zenith Chambers PI Specialist, Gordon Exall.

Dan Herman from Complex Dispute specialists Stewarts Solicitors will deliver a presentation on Catastrophic Injury, while Nick Leech from The Nestor Partnership will provide Financial Advice in High Value Personal Injury Cases.

The seminar will then conclude with a panel Q&A session with all speakers.

Delegate Price: £75 + VAT
Venue: The Lowry Arts & Entertainment Centre,
Pier 8, Salford Quays, Manchester, M50 3AZ
Time: 10am until 6pm

Delegate packs, lunch, refreshments and afternoon drinks reception included.

Limited availability!
Book your place now by e-mailing andream@ukindmed.com or by calling 0191 375 3326.

The UKIM Team Dress Down to Support Breast Cancer Campaign 01/11/2007

All of the UKIM team dressed down on Friday 26th October to raise money for Breast Cancer Campaign who are working hard to increase survival rates of those diagnosed with Breast Cancer.

UKIM Celebrates National Customer Service Week 2007 08/10/2007

Last week, along with hundreds of businesses throughout the country, UKIM celebrated National Customer Service Week 2007.

In order to recognise and reward customer service professionalism and the vital role that is played by our team, we held a - Nominate a Colleague for a Special Award in Excellent Customer Service - competition.

Nominations took place over one week and the lucky winner was, Client Services Supervisor Linda Fox who was nominated by her colleagues for having excellent communication skills as well as being friendly, polite and professional while striving for the best possible outcome for UKIMs clients.

Ian Medforth, UKIM Managing Director, "We are delighted that Lindas colleagues have recognised her approach to fulfilling and exceeding the needs of our customers. Excellent Customer Service is a pivotal part of UKIMs product and in order to recognise just how important this is for our business we will be running this special award on a quarterly basis".

In addition, Client Service Administrators, Stacie Johnson and Debbie Taylor received special recognition for demonstrating excellent customer service. Debbie was recognised as being pleasant, polite and happy, and Stacies colleagues commented that she was helpful, knowledgeable and consistent in her approach to work.

UKIM is delighted to welcome 5 new members to the team.

This move is strategic and is very significant in supporting the continued growth of the business.

Amanda Whitehead, Andrea McMenam, Janice Lewins, Michelle Reed and Rachel Hall joined the team in September and with their diverse range of skills and attributes, they will each make an important contribution to UKIM during and beyond this exciting growth period.

British Superbikes at Croft 2007 31/08/2007

UKIM clients and staff enjoyed a day out at Croft Circuit for the British Superbikes on 12th August.

Supporting UKIMs team and their rider (Craig Sproston), everyone was able to enjoy corporate hospitality in the Team CS Racing marquee throughout the day, which proved to be a welcome place to relax after the pre-event dinner and drinks in Darlington the night before!

UK Independent Medical (UKIM) is in the middle of a dynamic growth strategy and is fast becoming a key player in the market. A major business expansion plan commenced at the end of 2006 and now ten months on, the business has seen an almost 40% increase in volume during this period.

The growth has been supported by an enlarged team of highly experienced personnel and now reaching 40, staff numbers have increased by 40% since October last year. With work volumes continuing to increase, the firm is looking to fill further posts to help maintain its reputation and to work with the increasing number of clients and personal injury cases. A major recruitment drive has been underway since the beginning of 2007 and the company continues its search for the North East’s top skilled administrators.

Ian Medforth, Managing Director, UKIM said:

“In March this year, UKIM celebrated its 4th birthday and since our launch the record of growth in this very demanding and competitive industry has been impressive. We continue to secure major new accounts, winning increased recognition within the legal, insurance and medical professions and exceeding the demanding targets that we have set ourselves. We continue to receive positive feedback from our clients and suppliers which inspires and motivates the entire UKIM team.

None of this would be possible without the talented and committed team of people who daily deliver the kind of thorough, professional and comprehensive service to our clients that is setting the business apart in what has become a cost-driven industry.”

He added:

“We are determined to continue to increase our share of the market and we will do this by sustained innovation, investment and by adding more talented members to our diverse and valued team.”

Linda Fox, Client Services Administrator, UKIM said:

“UKIMs commitment to their staff is visible through an excellent, fair working environment; great training initiatives and a super benefits package and it is this assurance that directly impacts upon UKIMs growth. It is exciting to be part of this fast growing company, especially when you know that you are directly contributing to it.”

It is with great pleasure that we welcome Paul Gray to the UKIM team. Paul joins us as Financial Controller and will work with the rest of the Finance team to provide vital, accurate, timely and consistent financial information to the management faction.

Ian Medforth, MD, "We are delighted that Paul has joined us and we look forward to the benefits that he will bring to the company by putting his expansive skills and knowledge into practice."

Sharon Edwards, Client Services Manager, "We are delighted to introduce Louise Gowran, Jayde Cresswell and Dan Johnston to the UKIM Client Services Team. Each brings with them a variety of experience and skills in delivering superb customer service and will play a highly significant role in contributing to UKIMs continued growth".

MRO / Insurer Agreement Signatories 21/08/2007

Following the Civil Justice Council mediation on medical agency fees which resulted in the settlement of the appeal in Woollard v Fowler, please find below a list of participating insurers and compensators:

Allianz Insurance PLC
AXA Insurance UK Limited
Churchill Insurance Company Limited
CIS
Direct Line Insurance PLC
Esure
First Alternative
Fortis Insurance Limited
Halifax Car Insurance
HSBC Insurance (UK) Limited
MMA Insurance PLC
Motor Insurers Bureau
Norwich Union Insurance Limited
Royal Sun Alliance
Sainsburys Car Insurance
Santam
Sheilas Wheels
The National Insurance & Guarantee Corporation Limited
UK Insurance Limited (including schemes such as Tesco, NIG, Green Flag, Mercedes, etc)
Westminster Insurance
Zenith Insurance PLC & Link Insurance Company Ltd
Zurich Financial Services

UKIM is continuing its growth and is pleased to announce the arrival of 4 new recruits who will add significantly to the already diverse team.

Bev Crosby and Hayley Young bring with them a wealth of knowledge and skills which they will apply in Client Service Administrator roles, and Gavin McKennas responsibility as an Administrator will be to provide essential operational support via post, document scanning and admin duties.

Allan Totty has joined the company as an IT/Network Administrator and will provide all essential IT support and strategy for UKIM.

In addition, Angela Jackson has moved into a Trainee Client Services Administrator role after joining the company in February 2007 to provide administrative support to all UKIM departments.

Ian Medforth, UKIM Managing Director, "We are delighted to welcome Bev, Hayley, Allan and Gavin to the team and they will play a significant part in sustaining UKIMs growth and success."


UKIM currently has additional Client Service Administrator vacancies and if you would be interested in joining our expanding business please visit the Recruitment Section of this website or call Sharon Edwards on 0870 787 0273 for further details.

On Thursday 10 May 2007 an agreement to cap medical reporting fees was reached between ten UK insurers and 8 of the largest medico legal reporting organisations.

The agreement has been formulated along the lines of the original AMRO agreement whereby there is a direct billing facility with Insurance Companies and a fixed pricing structure. The scheme has been extended to not only include RTA work but also Employers Liability and Public Liability cases. The scheme has also been extended to cover A&E Consultant and Orthopaedic Surgeon reports as well as GP reports where the damages do not exceed fifteen thousand pounds.

As a result of this agreement being implemented, the Insurer Group appeal against the decision in the Woollard v Fowler case has been dropped.

This is a CJC backed initiative and it is envisaged that the prices detailed within the agreement will form the basis of any fixed fee arrangement in any future DCA guidelines.

Paul Healey, Head of UKIM Business Development, “UKIM fully support this initiative and look forward to a period of continued stability which will benefit individual clients, solicitors, insurance companies and medico legal organisations.”

For further information regarding this agreement, please do not hesitate to contact the UKIM Business Development Team.

UKIM is delighted to welcome a number of new recruits to our diverse and growing team.

Angela Jackson has joined us with the responsibility of generating increased workflow efficiencies through her scanning and postroom responsibilities. We have also seen Linda Fox and Debbie Taylor join the Operations Team as Client Service Administrators with both bringing a great deal of experience and knowledge to the already diverse and highly skilled team.

In addition, Emma Haunch has joined the Accounts Team and will play a key role in ensuring that this vital function continues to operate at optimum efficiency.

UKIM currently has additional Client Service Administrator vacancies and if you would be interested in joining our expanding business please visit the Recruitment Section of this website or call Sharon Edwards on 0870 787 0273 for further details.

UKIM attended the 2006 Motor Accident Solicitors Society (MASS) AGM and Conference last week at The Midland in Manchester.

The UKIM team were delighted to see clients and friends and also enjoyed meeting some new faces too!

Legal Evolve Success 28/11/2006

UKIMs sister company Legal Evolve has recently delivered another two high profile and successful seminars to Legal Professionals in Liverpool and Birmingham.

Barristers from Leeds based Zenith Chambers, medical experts from UKIM, Claims Managers from AI Claims Solutions Plc and David Fisher of AXA Insurance were brought together to provide a balanced view on Low Velocity Impact issues for the legal and insurance industries in the UK.

"Excellent ... very interesting!"

"A friendly, relaxed approach, but never anything less than professional!"

"Enjoyable course, just the right length."

"Very well organised and presented."


Legal Evolve will continue to deliver timely, informational, CPD accredited legal updates and bespoke training programmes to legal professionals throughout 2007. Visit www.legalevolve.com for further details.

UKIM are delighted to welcome two new members to the team. Vicki Nesbitt has joined us from Holiday Oasis where she worked in sales, however prior to that Vicki dealt with complaints for South Tees NHS and brings with her a wealth of client service and medical related experience. Carol Passmoor has joined us more recently from Albany ULR where she also worked in a customer service role. Both Vicki and Carol will further add to the highly skilled, service orientated UKIM Operations Team as Client Service Administrators.

UKIM Continues to Grow 30/10/2006

We are delighted to welcome some new members to the growing team.

Pauline Ridley has joined the Accounts Team in a supportive role as Accounts Administrator; Lauren Robinson has joined the Operations Team as an administrator; and Maria Brunton has also joined Operations as a Client Service Administrator.

In addition, Lynne Brown has taken up a new role as Operational Liaison Executive and will be responsible for Operational training; and Lauren Metcalfe has also taken on the new role of Trainee Assistant Accountant.

UK Independent Medical Celebrate their Investor in People Award by Winning the World Cup 18/08/2006

UKIM has been accredited as an Investor in People – the national quality standard which sets a level of good practice for improving an organisation’s performance through its people.

UKIM has built a reputation for providing first class medical evidence for the insurance and legal fields across the country, and investment in staff is a key principle. As a top ten AMRO medico legal agency, UKIM prides itself on the exceptional service that the team deliver and has an internal ethos of ‘excellence begins with me’. This culture represents the level of commitment that the team demonstrates in delivering top quality service to clients. The company can state that over half of its work is sourced from personal injury solicitors who choose to use UKIM’s services, as opposed to being requested to by a referring company.

The team celebrated the award on Friday (9th) evening with a World Cup themed party to mark the start of the massive international football tournament. The evening was filled with fun as the entire UKIM team celebrated in style with party games, pizzas, and drinks at their offices. All staff participated in a table football tournament and the evening finale was the tournament final (England v Korea) with England bringing home the UKIM 2006 Table Football World Cup. The party also generated funds for Sport Relief 2006 with the UKIM team donating all evening.

At the end of last year an Investor in People assessor visited the company and interviewed staff and in her report stated that, “ … everyone works very well together, there is a strong sense of team working and the culture is very inclusive. There are most definitely no barriers between management and staff. The Directors work alongside staff, and this is clearly valued and appreciated by everyone. ”

Ian Medforth, Managing Director said, “We are delighted to be awarded the Investor in People accreditation. It represents a huge boost for our team who really do make a difference and who have shown great commitment in gaining this award.”

“UKIM are committed to excellence and committed to constantly developing and motivating our workforce and we recognise the benefits that the company can gain through our people. We are now in our fourth year of business and we are excited about our future and with IIP status we will continue to be truly committed to excellence.”

UK Independent Medical Services Ltd
Company Registered Office: Indigo House, Belmont Business Park, Durham, DH1 1TW

Company Registration Number: 4530717
Registered in England

T: 0870 787 0273, F: 0870 444 8388, E: info@ukindmed.com

DX 60214 Durham