More about AvMA

What relationship does AVMA have with Lawyers?

AvMA sees lawyers as an invaluable resource for injured patients and their families to help achieve justice.  AvMA promotes good practice by lawyers in the fields of clinical negligence and medical law through its Lawyers Support Service, conferences, training and accredits specialist solicitors for inclusion in our specialist clinical negligence panel.  AvMA charges lawyers for its services but is entirely independent of lawyers.  There is only one lawyer on AvMA's Council of Trustees and she is not practising.  AvMA receives no payment for referrals of clients made to solicitors on our specialist clinical negligence panel.

What is AvMA's relationship with Medical Experts?

AvMA maintains the main database of medical experts (from any profession) who are able to give expert opinion/ evidence on clinical negligence cases. Supportive expert opinion is a requirement for any successful clinical negligence claim.  AvMA makes an assessment of the suitability of 'experts' before putting them on the database and making them available for recommendation to claimant clinical negligence solicitors and monitors feedback, but does not formally accredit experts.  There is no formal connection between experts and AvMA other than if they are on the database.  Some experts who are supportive of AvMA's goals and charitable work make a voluntary charitable donation.

Where does AvMA gets its money?

AvMA finds it harder to raise funds than other better known charities for popular causes such as children's and cancer charities, and currently receives hardly any funding from the State/statutory sources.  We raise most of our money by charging for our training and conferences and for services to lawyers.  We also receive charitable donations from grateful clients and others who are supportive of our cause.  For details see our annual report.  For a copy of our policy on accepting funding, corporate support and sponsorship click here.

How can I complain about AvMA?

AvMA recognises that like any organisation, we can make mistakes or fail to live up to our own or other people's expectations.  We value feedback and promise to investigate concerns or complaints and respond.  For a copy of our complaints procedure click here. 

What is the difference between AvMA the registered charity and 'AvMA Services Ltd'?

Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) is a registered charity number 299123 and a charitable company limited by guarantee, registered in England number 2405420.  'AvMA Services Ltd' is a company limited by guarantee in England to act as a trading company on behalf of the charity, of which it is a wholly owned subsidiary.  Charities are only allowed to do a certain amount of 'non-charitable trading' (trading which is not directly concerned with their charitable objectives) and it is therefore common for charities to have a trading company.  'AvMA Services Ltd' is currently dormant as the level of our non-charitable trading is currently within agreed limits.

What is AvMA's relationship with Insurance Companies?

AvMA does not sell or broker insurance, endorse any particular insurance provider, or provide advice on insurance matters.  AvMA does provide a Risk Assessment service to insurance companies who provide ‘after the event’ insurance cover for clinical negligence claimants (which covers the claimant for meeting the other side’s costs if the claim is unsuccessful).  Using their expertise, specialist staff at AvMA can advise the insurance company of the likely chances of the success of a claim to help them make a decision on whether or not to offer cover. Sometimes our staff can offer advice to the claimant solicitor on how to improve the chances of their case’s success.  However, if the chances of success are poor, AvMA will advise the insurer accordingly. We do not believe it is in anyone’s interests for a claim to go ahead if it has little chance of success.  There is a strict separation between our Risk Assessment service and our Advice & Information service to the public.  Anyone who turns to AvMA for advice is guaranteed confidentiality.

 

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