THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED
Get an alert when THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED files next
Leroy will email you the moment a new filing lands at Companies House — one short note per filing, nothing else.
Cash
£26m
+2.2% vs 2024
Net assets
£686m
+6.7% highest in 3 filed years
Employees
481
+0.6% highest in 3 filed years
Profit before tax
£58m
+53.5% highest in 3 filed years
Net assets
3-year trend · vs Industrials median
THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED·Industrials median
THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED·Industrials median
THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED·Industrials median
THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED·Industrials median
THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED·Industrials median
Accounts
3-year trend · Δ = latest vs prior filed period · latest reflected 2025-12-31
| Metric | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 | Δ vs prior |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total income | £127,160,000 | £129,801,000 | £130,228,000 | +0.3% | |
| Operating profit | -£46,705,000 | -£14,979,000 | -£13,885,000 | +7.3% | |
| Profit before tax | £41,831,000 | £37,529,000 | £57,590,000 | +53.5% | |
| Net profit | £22,972,000 | £23,204,000 | £41,693,000 | +79.7% | |
| Cash | £29,599,000 | £25,609,000 | £26,172,000 | +2.2% | |
| Total assets less current liabilities | £1,114,312,000 | £1,096,494,000 | £1,101,967,000 | +0.5% | |
| Net assets | £619,759,000 | £642,657,000 | £685,650,000 | +6.7% | |
| Equity | £619,759,000 | £642,657,000 | £685,650,000 | +6.7% | |
| Average employees | 433 | 478 | 481 | +0.6% | |
| Wages | £31,526,000 | £34,952,000 | £37,300,000 | +6.7% | |
| Directors' remuneration | £1,861,000 | £2,538,000 | £2,619,000 | +3.2% | |
| Directors' pension contributions | — | £0 | £93,000 | — | |
| Highest paid director | £597,000 | £702,000 | £805,000 | +14.7% |
Values shown as filed in the company's annual accounts. — indicates the figure wasn't present under that line item in that period. The Δ column is the change from the prior filed period as a percentage of |prior|; lines a company doesn't report show —. About these numbers
Ratios
Computed from the line items above — sparklines read oldest → newest
| Ratio | Trend | 2023-12-31 | 2024-12-31 | 2025-12-31 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operating margin | -36.7% | -11.5% | -10.7% | |
| Net margin | 18.1% | 17.9% | 32.0% | |
| Return on capital employed | -4.2% | -1.4% | -1.3% | |
| Gearing (liabilities / total assets) | 48.7% | 45.4% | 42.5% | |
| Current ratio | 0.56x | 0.62x | 0.62x | |
| Interest cover | -2.67x | -0.86x | -0.84x |
Margins divide P&L lines by turnover. Gearing is liabilities over total assets. Current ratio is current assets over creditors falling due within one year. Interest cover is operating profit over absolute finance costs. Sector-distribution context coming next.
Name history
Renamed 2 times since incorporation
- THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED 1991-01-09 → present
- THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION 1989-02-07 → 1991-01-09
- MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION,LIMITED(THE) 1885-10-23 → 1989-02-07
Audit & accounting basis
- Accounting basis
- FRS 102
- Reporting scope
- Consolidated group
- Auditor
- BDO LLP
- Audit opinion
- Unqualified (clean)
- Going concern
- Affirmed
“The financial statements are prepared on a going concern basis. In deciding to adopt the going concern basis the Directors have reviewed the Group's business plans and budgets and taken account of the discretionary nature of the company's indemnity obligations and other risk factors (discussed on page 11).”
Group structure
- THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION LIMITED · parent
- Dental Defence Union Limited 100%
- Doctors and Dentists Bank Limited 100%
- Healthcare Risk Management Limited 100%
- Just for Doctors Limited 100%
- MDU Healthcare Limited 100%
- MDU Healthcare Risk Management Limited 100%
- MDU Risk Management Limited 100%
- Medical Liability Services Limited 100%
- The Doctors Bank Limited 100%
- The Dentists Bank Limited 100%
- GP Update Limited 100%
- MDU Reinsurance Limited 100%
Significant events
- “On 31st October 2023, the Group acquired 100% of the issued share capital of Red Whale (GP Update Limited). Red Whale was founded in 2010, is a leading provider of education services, operating mainly in United Kingdom.”
Auditor, going-concern and subsidiary information is drawn from the narrative of the latest annual accounts. About these numbers
People
15 active · 67 resigned
| Name | Role | Appointed | Born | Nationality |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DA CUNHA, Ian Joseph | Secretary | 2026-02-24 | — | — |
| CLARK, Peter Irving, Professor | Director | 2021-09-21 | Jul 1956 | British |
| FRYAR, Caroline Elizabeth, Dr | Director | 2024-04-01 | May 1977 | British |
| HANDA, Ashok Inderraj | Director | 2023-09-19 | Feb 1963 | British |
| HYKIN, Lynnette Ruth, Dr | Director | 2022-09-20 | May 1968 | British |
| LEE, Matthew Thomas Wilton, Dr | Director | 2009-09-15 | Oct 1971 | British |
| MILLER, Kevin | Director | 2021-09-16 | Aug 1967 | British |
| NORFOLK, Thomas John, Dr | Director | 2019-09-17 | Feb 1970 | British |
| RILEY, Jeremy Hardwicke | Director | 2018-09-18 | Nov 1960 | British |
| SANDHU, Harjinder Singh, Dr | Director | 2023-09-19 | Jan 1965 | British |
| WATKIN, Simon Wilfred, Dr | Director | 2015-09-15 | Feb 1960 | British |
| WEDDERBURN, Stella Elizabeth | Director | 2017-09-19 | Sep 1957 | British |
| WELLS, Edward Christian John | Director | 2020-07-28 | Jul 1955 | British |
| WINLOW, Mark | Director | 2025-12-31 | Apr 1962 | British |
| WRIGHT, Anthony Richard | Director | 2018-05-01 | Nov 1971 | English |
Show 67 resigned officers
| Name | Role | Appointed | Resigned |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOWMAN, Nicholas John | Secretary | 1993-07-20 | 2026-02-24 |
| WALL, John Anthony, Doctor | Secretary | — | 1993-07-20 |
| ADDISON, Kenneth George | Director | — | 1994-12-31 |
| AGHADIUNO, Chika | Director | 2017-11-28 | 2025-09-16 |
| ALLSOPP, Kathleen Mary, Dr | Director | — | 1992-12-31 |
| ARCHIBALD, Andrew Robert | Director | 2021-08-23 | 2024-07-23 |
| ARMSTRONG, Peter, Professor | Director | 2003-09-16 | 2009-09-15 |
| ARNOLD, Michael | Director | 2004-09-21 | 2006-03-17 |
| BALL, Peter Charles, Dr | Director | 1993-07-20 | 1998-06-16 |
| BERRY, Hedley Edward | Director | — | 2007-09-18 |
| BUTTIGIEG, Judith | Director | 2020-07-28 | 2021-02-05 |
| CAINES, John, Sir | Director | 1998-08-25 | 2004-09-21 |
| CARTWRIGHT, Keith Anthony Vincent, Professor | Director | 2006-09-19 | 2016-09-20 |
| CHAMBERS, Andrew David, Professor | Director | 2004-09-22 | 2006-07-25 |
| CLARKE, Harold Edward | Director | 2007-02-27 | 2018-09-18 |
| COLLINGE, Suzanne Marie | Director | — | 1993-10-26 |
| COOKE, Edith Mary, Dr | Director | 1995-02-28 | 2003-09-16 |
| CORLEY, Roger David | Director | 1996-06-18 | 2004-09-21 |
| CRAFT, Alan William, Sir | Director | 2009-09-15 | 2015-09-15 |
| DE BLOCQ VAN KUFFELER, John Philip | Director | 2001-05-22 | 2004-09-21 |
| DINNING, William Robert John | Director | 2014-09-16 | 2020-09-15 |
| DUNGAY, Nicholas Andrew | Director | 2009-09-15 | 2021-04-06 |
| EARL, Christopher Joseph, Dr | Director | — | 1996-06-18 |
| EDGINTON, Clive Leonard Ashcroft | Director | 2012-04-24 | 2018-09-18 |
| EVANS, Christopher Charles, Dr | Director | — | 2012-09-18 |
| FLOOD, Deirdre | Director | 2018-01-02 | 2018-02-26 |
| FRY, Ian Kelsey, Dr | Director | — | 1997-06-24 |
| GALLIVAN, Maurice Michael | Director | 1993-07-20 | 2018-05-31 |
| GARFIELD, John Samuel | Director | — | 1995-06-20 |
| GIFFORD, Michael John | Director | 1997-06-24 | 2001-01-11 |
| GLENARTHUR, Simon Mark, Lord | Director | 2002-02-26 | 2006-07-26 |
| GOLDSMITH, Paul, Dr | Director | 2017-07-25 | 2023-09-19 |
| HERON, Christine Woodruff, Dr | Director | 2012-09-18 | 2017-12-31 |
| HILES, Ronald William | Director | 1999-01-26 | 2003-09-16 |
| HOOPER, Gloria Dorothy, Baroness | Director | 1993-04-01 | 2001-09-18 |
| HORLER, Alan Rigby, Dr | Director | — | 1994-09-01 |
| HUBBARD, Richard David Cairns | Director | 1998-08-25 | 2000-12-31 |
| HUTCHINSON, Ian David | Director | 2013-02-11 | 2022-02-22 |
| KENNEDY, John Greer, Dr | Director | 1998-06-16 | 2004-09-21 |
| LA FRENAIS, Walter Simon Lodge, Dr | Director | 1993-11-01 | 2000-09-14 |
| MARKHAM, David Eric | Director | — | 2006-09-19 |
| MARSDEN, Charles David, Professor | Director | 1997-08-26 | 1998-09-29 |
| MAXWELL, Robert James, Dr | Director | — | 1998-06-16 |
| MCAUSLAND, Graeme Stewart | Director | 2021-07-27 | 2026-04-09 |
| MOUNTFIELD, Robin, Sir | Director | 2004-09-21 | 2006-07-25 |
| NEBEL, Andrew Howard Martin | Director | 1996-06-18 | 1996-09-30 |
| PEARSON, Richard John Crewdson | Director | 2006-11-01 | 2013-09-17 |
| POSWILLO, David Ernest, Professor | Director | — | 1997-06-24 |
| RENDLE, Michael Russel | Director | 1998-08-25 | 2001-09-18 |
| RICHARDSON, Kerry Francis | Director | 2007-05-01 | 2014-09-16 |
| RICHMOND, Maureen Shannon, Dr | Director | 2005-11-22 | 2013-09-17 |
| RIORDAN EVA, Paul | Director | 2006-09-19 | 2022-09-20 |
| ROBINSON, Paul Derek | Director | 2004-09-21 | 2015-09-15 |
| SAUNDERS, Michael Thomas, Doctor | Director | — | 2009-04-30 |
| SHAUNAK, Sunil, Professor | Director | 2017-09-19 | 2023-09-19 |
| SHERLOCK, Edward Barry Orton | Director | 1994-09-25 | 1996-07-31 |
| SMITH, Joseph Colin | Director | — | 2001-09-18 |
| SMITH, Roland, Professor Sir | Director | 1992-11-24 | 1998-06-30 |
| SPARROW, Owen Charles Ellis | Director | 2015-04-28 | 2021-09-21 |
| STEWART, Hugh Harkness Archibald, Dr | Director | 2022-01-26 | 2024-03-31 |
| TOMKINS, Christine Margaret, Dr | Director | 1995-06-20 | 2021-09-21 |
| TOWNEND, John Law | Director | — | 1993-07-20 |
| WALL, John Anthony, Doctor | Director | — | 1995-06-21 |
| WALL, John Anthony, Doctor | Director | — | 1993-07-20 |
| WALLEY, Thomas Joseph, Professor | Director | 2003-09-16 | 2005-07-22 |
| WEBSTER, Peter David | Director | 2011-09-20 | 2017-09-19 |
| WILLIAMS, Peter Randall, Dr | Director | 1997-08-26 | 2017-09-19 |
Ownership
Persons with significant control
No persons with significant control on record.
Filing timeline
Last 20 of 341 total filings
| Date | Type | Category | Description | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-08-15 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2026-08-07 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2026-04-20 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2026-03-03 | TM02 | officers | Termination secretary company with name termination date | |
| 2026-03-03 | AP03 | officers | Appoint person secretary company with name date | |
| 2026-01-05 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2025-12-16 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2025-12-09 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2025-09-17 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2025-08-07 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2025-08-05 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2024-12-16 | CS01 | confirmation-statement | Confirmation statement with no updates | |
| 2024-11-15 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2024-10-23 | AA | accounts | Accounts with accounts type group | |
| 2024-07-25 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2024-04-03 | AP01 | officers | Appoint person director company with name date | |
| 2024-04-02 | TM01 | officers | Termination director company with name termination date | |
| 2024-03-12 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2024-03-12 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date | |
| 2024-03-12 | CH01 | officers | Change person director company with change date |
Public-record activity
Raw counts from Companies House — last 12–24 months
- Filings
- 8
- Capital events
- 0
- Officers appointed
- 2
- Officers resigned
- 2
last 12 months
last 24 months
last 12 months
last 12 months
Direct counts from the register. No score, no rating — see the Filing timeline for the underlying events.