Founder, CEO, and awardee Dr. Joealen Benson established The Medical League last year, positioning it as the next stage in the evolution of its predecessor, The Doctors League. In just a few short months, The Medical League has already distinguished itself as one of the most inclusive, trusted, and celebrated providers of medico-legal and digital solutions for healthcare professionals globally. This newfound The Medical League banner, represents a holistic extension of the services provided by The Doctors League, with its expertise and commitment afforded to everyone operating within the healthcare industry – from nurses, physios, pharmacists, physician associates and more, taking it beyond just doctors – making sure that all individuals are provided with an equal level of protection, representation, and empowerment in an industry where it can be incredibly tough for a person to get their voice heard.
To better understand The Medical League, one has to go back to 2019 when its journey began, albeit in a slightly different form, with one singular focus. Doctors. Thus, The Doctors League was founded atop of an unbridled passion for tackling industry challenges head on, managing the medico-legal and licensing needs of medical doctors. An immediate success, the company effectively filled a pressing gap in the market, excelling at providing the necessary support and representation that was previously missing from the industry. With such successes to boot, the business’ impact grew, and it was not long before this team began to notice other challenges that were plaguing the wider sector, and not just doctors.
Upon such a revelation, the team set about adapting and expanding to offer what is today an all-encompassing approach under the title of a separate and yet interconnected entity, The Medical League. A company that strives to simultaneously serve as one of the planet’s premier authorities on medico-legal services and solutions while also embodying an unwavering commitment to the elements of appraisal, revalidation, and online learning. Aims of this endeavour include nurturing healthcare professionals and making sure that they feel represented, protected, and empowered on a daily basis. Central to this goal is the remarkable ambition to attempt to reach every healthcare professional, regardless of position or location.
At the heart of this noble approach is the desire to act as a beacon of support, measurably assisting in any and all areas of medico-legal, licensing, education, and compliance, elements that combine to make The Medical League an industry leader in the field of inclusivity. Integral in fostering this method, CEO Dr. Joealen Benson has been at the helm of The Medical League since day one and having worked as The Doctors League’s Medical Director from conception until passing the baton to Dr Daniela Herescu last year. His experience in this field is vast and unrivalled. Aside from his respective duties with both The Medical League and The Doctors League, Joe is also an emergency medicine consultant for the NHS, a position he has filled now for more than eight years.
Joe’s journey to get to this point in his career has been extensive but incredibly rewarding, with former roles that include working in commissioning for Oxfordshire’s NHS primary care trusts (PCTs) until their dissolution in 2013, as well as having sat on an array of boards including the Local Negotiating Committee (LNC) of the BMA and numerous positions held within a variety of national unions. Aside from this, Joe has proven himself in the field of medico-legal by becoming a certified case investigator, case manager, and trained Responsible Officer (RO). Such experiences lit a fire inside of Joe, and his commitment to aiding his fellow professionals has been steadfast ever since.
With expertise lying particularly in the field of GMC cases, (GMC being the organisation that oversees the UK’s medical profession and sets the standards for what acceptable practice should look like), previous cases that Joe has managed include employment disputes, bullying, harassment, and discrimination, as well as helping those in the medical industry to remain compliant, something that is predominantly achieved through appraisals, revalidation, e-learning and compliance services. His experience in this area resulted in him establishing The Doctors League in 2019, and realising the impact it was having, he would push for the formation of its spiritual successor, The Medical League, unveiled in October 2023.
Demonstrably benefiting everyone from nurses through to doctors and allied healthcare professionals, under Joe’s expert tutelage, The Medical League provides a hassle-free, user-friendly, secure, and compliant digital solutions service that empowers industry professionals by enabling them to hone their skills and feel confident in their roles through the utilising of a dynamic and productive self-service portal. The leveraging of this solution all feeds into the company’s overarching ethos, which is centred around the belief that the world would be a much better place if healthcare professionals were protected and supported through an inclusive and needs-based approach.
Over the course of this medico-legal journey, Joe and the team have proudly registered more than 1250 doctors to the cause, completed in excess of 950 appraisals, and supported over 500 revalidations. All of this has been built atop the more than 18 years of experience that is present across the doctors that underpin both of these businesses, and with such an established presence and renowned reputation to boot, this team are constantly coming up with new and innovative ways to excel in the sector and distinguish themselves from the competition, something that has proven instrumental in securing its status as the provider of choice for medical professionals all over the world.
A prime example of the way that this is being achieved is through The Medical League releasing an all-new subscription service model for its medico-legal defence service. On the back of the success it has experienced with its one-to-one legal services, this incredibly beneficial solution is unlike anything on offer from current medical defence organisations (MDOs) whose service is offered on a discretionary basis, with The Medical League’s provision being built around providing mandatory support, with no ifs and buts. This serves to perfectly encapsulate the business’ dedication to the cause, underpinned by guaranteeing assistance for those during their time of need.
Testimonials from voices of trust serve only to corroborate the impactful nature of the services provided, with one such review from a doctor, John Alexandar, stating, “I was on the verge of resigning due to unfair treatment by senior management, but The Medical League came to my rescue, representing me in all meetings and helping secure the right outcome – their expert support was a lifeline in my time of need.” This is a common thread across the board, with Dr. Vakah Shah also leaving a positive review, this time regarding appraisals. “I find the system very easy to use and I am extremely satisfied with the appraisal platform [and] the way my appraisal was processed.”
When it comes to a service such as this, the results for speak themselves, and with CEO Dr. Joealen Benson at the controls, The Medical League repeatedly demonstrates excellence across both its medico-legal and digital solution offerings, empowering the medical communities of those in the UK and even farther afield in the process. Joe remains serious about, and wholly dedicated to, protecting healthcare professionals and supporting their needs, and it is the proactive approach he has taken to this mission that has ultimately led to his featuring in this awards programme. We wish Joe the best of luck for the future and can only anticipate the ways he will demonstrate further excellence in this space over the coming years.
For further information, please contact Dr Joealen Benson or visit https://themedicalleague.com/