Litigation and Inquest Officer

Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

This job is now closed

Job summary

This exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Patient Safety Team as Litigation and Inquest Officer.

The successful post holder will be working with our panel of solicitors to progress clinical negligence claims made against the Trust and will be involved in supporting the inquest investigation process.

Responsible for facilitating the Trust's portfolio of clinical negligence claims in line with current guidelines/policies and procedures, under the supervision of the Litigation & Inquest Co-ordinator and the Patient Safety and Complaint Manager. With on the job training; liaising with CRH clinicians, Trust solicitors, Claimant's solicitors and NHS Resolution.

This important role in the Patient Safety Team works alongside the Learning Response Co-ordinators and the Patient Safety Specialist and other functions in the wider Quality Governance Team.

Main duties of the job

Providing support and cover as required to the Litigation and Inquest Co-ordinator and Patient Safety & Litigation Administrator on the management of the Trust portfolio of Coronial investigations in line with current guidelines/policies and procedures.

The post holder must be able to exercise significant discretion to work within assigned parameters and must have the confidence and the abilities to be able to identify and escalate any potential matters of concern relating to the Trust's reputation or clinical practice, to the Litigation and Inquest Co-ordinator.

The post holder must be accomplished in building firm and supportive working relationships with colleagues and external parties.

On occasions the post holder may be exposed to Post-mortem images, and reports that may cause certain degrees of upset. The post holder should be experienced and capable in managing their resilience.

There may sometimes be a requirement for the post holder to contact the claimant or members of the deceased family to offer support and provide information relating to the Trust's processes around claims and inquests.

The post holder will need to support parties who are emotionally distressed and/or may need to engage in difficult conversations with colleagues in order to clarify certain areas on behalf of solicitors or the Coroner.

Providing advice and support to colleagues on inquests and claim related matters, under the guidance of the Litigation & Inquest Co-ordinator.

About us

COMPASSION - treating everyone with kindness - welcoming diversity and inclusion, considering individual needs; and challenging inappropriate behaviours outside of our values.
AMBITION - Aspiring to be the best - reaching high standards, providing exceptional care and services; and achieving measurable improvements in people's health and wellbeing.
RESPECT - Valuing and appreciating everyone - listening, learning, and acting on their experiences, being open and honest; and recognising that working with others brings benefits.
ENCOURAGEMENT- Opportunities for all - supporting education and development, helping people to bring their improvement ideas to life and speak-up; and getting everyone involved in our future.

Date posted

18 December 2024

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

166-PSO-6707856

Job locations

Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Chesterfield Road, Calow

Chesterfield

S44 5BL

Job description

Job responsibilities

Clinical Negligence Claims Management

Under the guidance of the Litigation & Inquest Co-ordinator, manage a portfolio of potential and confirmed clinical negligence claims Tasks include but are not limited to:

Investigate and respond to all disclosure queries from claimants solicitors. Review all available healthcare records and liaise with the Patient Records Data Office, all Departments and Divisions to identify and locate all relevant records pertaining to a case.

Where a serious incident/complaint identifies a breach of duty and there is the possibility of a large value claim report to NHS Resolution irrespective of whether or not a claim has been notified or a disclosure request received.

Update the Assistance and Complaints Service (ACS) Team of any new claim where there has previously been a complaint.

Set up and maintain the Trust file for each claim.

Ensure that all clinical negligence claims are logged on the DATIX database and update the information as required until the claim is closed.

Ensure that confirmed clinical negligence claims are reported to National Health Service Resolution and that the Trust meets the time scales set down in NHS Resolution reporting requirements.

Act as the Trusts named point of contact with NHS Resolution, Trust solicitors and claimants solicitors.

Liaise with NHS Resolution, all solicitors (both defendant and claimant) and staff involved to facilitate the efficient handling of clinical claims.

Ensure all clinical negligence claims are investigated and managed efficiently in accordance with Trust Policy, pre-action protocol and civil procedure rules.

With support from the Litigation & Inquest Co-ordinator identify across all staff groups, colleagues who are likely to have information and knowledge which would be material and useful to the Trust in the conduct of the claim.

Where staff have left the Trust undertake reasonable searches to locate them and request their comments.

Ensure that following requests for limitation extensions from a claimants solicitor, healthcare records are reviewed on a case-by-case basis and NHSR is consulted for approval or refusal where appropriate.

Assigning work to and requesting comments on allegations, evidential reports/statements from all appropriate Clinicians.

Provide the Litigation & Inquest Co-ordinator the clinicians statements for proof reading, before disclosing; and ensuring that these are provided within the deadlines to prevent any unnecessary delays to the process.

On occasion provide cover for the Litigation & Inquest Co-ordinator in supporting to the Trusts Solicitors, the Trust, and Royal Primary Care staff at internal and external case conferences.

Providing emotional signposting to staff involved in clinical negligence claims and supporting as appropriate.

Ensure that the Executive Medical Director and the respective Divisional Leadership Team are kept fully informed of a claim as it develops.

Gain timely approval of Pre-Action Protocol documents from the relevant Executive colleagues.

Provide Divisional Leadership Teams and Litigation and Inquest Co-ordinator with regular updates on claims statistics along with a monthly Reportable Issues Log that can be shared with members of the Trusts Quality Delivery Group.

For further information please see the Job Description.