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Job summary

Main area
Legal Services
Grade
Band 8a
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
320-SNR-0145
Employer
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Derby Hospital
Town
Derby
Salary
£50,952 - £57,349 pro rata / pa
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
22/08/2024 23:59
Interview date
06/09/2024

Employer heading

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust logo

Senior Lawyer

Band 8a

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together.

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

With over 13,000 members of staff you can expect huge variety and new opportunities every day! Our staff go above and beyond and take pride in caring for our patients.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust is fully committed to promoting inclusion, equality, diversity and human rights in employment and delivery of its services.  The Trust is committed to providing an environment where all employees, patients, carers and visitors experience equality of opportunity by means of understanding and appreciating the value of diversity.

As a Trust we promote an inclusive environment and welcome applications from a diverse pool of talent and backgrounds.  All individuals are valued and given every opportunity to succeed based on merit.

The Trust actively encourages applications from members of our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. These groups are under-represented in our organisation, and it’s important to us that our workforce reflects the diversity of our communities as much as possible.

Armed Forces and Disability Confident guaranteed interview scheme

To further support the pledges in the Armed Forces Covenant and to make a positive contribution to support ex-armed forces personnel (veterans) make the transition to civilian life, the Trust has introduced a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification, to help them overcome barriers to find civilian employment. The scheme will operate for all external recruitment.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer and committed to both employing and retaining people with disabilities.  This commitment is to guarantee an interview for any candidate that has disclosed a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification.  Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 will be considered upon request.

Join us and help make a real difference to our Trust.

Here’s more about the role and what we’re looking for; 

Job overview

Act as a Senior Lawyer within the department providing management and supervision support to the team whilst also providing advocacy to more complex inquests and detailed engagement with the governance processes within the organisation.

Responsible for managing a caseload of inquests and personal injury claims, comprised of CNST (clinical negligence) claims and Employer’s Liability and Public Liability claims. The portfolio of cases will be commensurate to seniority.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be responsible for assisting the Director of Legal Services and Deputy Head of Legal Services with the delivery of the full remit of services provided by the Legal Services Department at the Trust. This includes:

·       Meeting internal and external requirements.

·    Supporting staff in writing statements and other documents that may be required for legal matters.

·    Attending Inquests and other Court Hearings to represent the Trust and support Trust witnesses.

·       Undertaking advocacy in Court. 

·    Delivering training to Trust staff and presentations and siting on committees and groups as required. 

·       Providing a wide range of advice on medico-legal issues, including advice in emergencies.

·       Identifying Trust policies that require attention, re-drafting or amending as  required and on request.

·       Being alive to Regulation 28 Prevention of Future Deaths issues and being able to escalate and deal with these accordingly.

·      Understanding the importance of and being able to triangulate knowledge with other Trust contacts appropriately.

·       Participating in governance processes.

To act as a role model and provide positive, professional and accountable leadership to the legal team.

The post holder will take a senior role in the delivery of the above aims, including supporting the wider team in delivery of the service.

Closing date of applications - 22 August 2024

Interview date -  6 September 2024

Working for our organisation

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

In return we will offer:

  • Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
  • On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
  • Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts:

  • We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
  • We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England – an average of 2077 per week.
  • An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day – 3rd largest in the country.
  • Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
  • Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
  • We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
  • We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
  • UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached Job description and Person Specification. To apply please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB – this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.

Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click on the link to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship Impacts of the changes to the UK immigration policy | NHS Employers

Person specification

Training and Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • • Educated to degree level with the LPC/equivalent means qualification
  • • A qualified solicitor/Legal Executive/Barrister with relevant post qualification experience
  • • Significant specialist work experience in claims and inquest management within an NHS Trust or similar environment
Desirable criteria
  • • Health and social care legal experience
  • • Advocacy training, including higher rights qualification

Experience and knowledge

Essential criteria
  • • Significant experience of NHS Claims management, including high value clinical negligence claims and complex Coroner’s Inquests or significant experience in a similar setting
  • • Experience of advocacy
  • • Experience of analysing complex information and producing reports
  • • Experience of providing healthcare advisory advice
  • • Experience of managing and supervising junior staff, including staff training
Desirable criteria
  • • Staff training experience
  • • Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act/ Mental Health Act / family proceedings and other associate general advice matters

Communication and relationship skills

Essential criteria
  • • Experience of leadership
  • • Excellent verbal, written and presentation skills, and an ability to communicate with a wide range of audiences, including during highly stressful and contentious situations
  • • Spelling and grammar in the application
Desirable criteria
  • • Presentational skills

Analytical and judgment skills

Essential criteria
  • • Ability to analyse/process highly complex facts and information and devise appropriate management strategies
  • • Experience of considering and evaluating a wide range of complex options and assessing appropriately in order to choose the appropriate option
  • • A good eye for detail as well as being able to assimilate quickly in order to take a broader view of things when required

Planning and Organisational

Essential criteria
  • • Ability to manage several different portfolios of work simultaneously, responding to conflicting priorities and frequent interruptions as required
  • • Able to work with minimal supervision and organise own workload, working to tight deadlines and under pressure
  • • Ability to adapt to changing requirements, to prioritise and adjust priorities as necessary and to work with frequent interruptions and demands

Employer certification / accreditation badges

No smoking policyArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStep into healthArmed Forces CovenantNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Emma Garner
Job title
Deputy Head of Legal Services
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01332 785419

If you have problems applying, contact

Address
Recruitment Team, Workforce Management
Training Centre
Rehab Block, Level 3
Royal Derby Hospital
Derby
Derbyshire
DE22 3NE
Telephone
01332 788466
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