Job summary
Job summary
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation is seeking applications for a Claims and Paralegal Apprentice to join its Clinical Legal Services Team. This is an exciting opportunity for a motivated individual to obtain a Level 3 Paralegal qualification via a 24-month apprenticeship, whilst gaining unique and valuable practical experience in a dynamic and busy in-house legal department. The intention is for the Paralegal Apprentice to work for 12 months in each of the Inquests and Claims teams (on rotation).
Main duties of the job
Main duties of the job
The Trust's Clinical Legal Services team, which sits within the Trust's Quality & Assurance Directorate and is led by the Trust's Head of Clinical Legal Services, provides the following 3 core services to the Trust:
1. Clinical negligence and personal injury claims advice, management and support;
2. Coroner's Inquests advice, management and support; and
3. Healthcare law advice, management and support.
The Claims and Inquests Paralegal Apprentice will undertake, subject to supervision, the day to day administrative tasks required to support the Trust's Clinical Legal Services Team, focusing particularly on the core Claims and Inquests services. The post-holder will be expected to cross-cover for the Claims and Inquests Managers as well as the other Claims and Inquests Paralegal Apprentice, when necessary, to support team resilience.
About us
About us
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best-known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high-quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.
We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job description
Job responsibilities
Details of the main responsibilities of the roles are set out in the Job Description and Person Specification, a copy of which is attached.
Please note that interviews for shortlisted applicants are planned to take place, in person, on the following date:
Wednesday 17th December 2025.
Important Note:
Apart from the minimum educational requirements set out in the Person Specification section of the Job Description, there are some additional restrictions and exclusions, which are set out below:
- Existing legal qualification/training: Apart from the minimum educational requirements set out in the Person Specification section of the Job Description, there are some additional restrictions in that the training provided by way of an apprenticeship must be materially different from any prior qualification/s. It follows that if, for example, an individual holds a law degree, they will not be eligible for a paralegal apprenticeship because they have already completed a formal legal qualification that surpasses the entry level training that will be provided by a paralegal apprenticeship.
- Candidates cannot be enrolled in any other form of education: individuals cannot undertake an apprenticeship while enrolled in any other form of education, whether full- or part-time. This is a condition outlined by the government and applies across all apprenticeship programmes. Therefore, applicants who are currently part-way through a course of study would not be eligible unless they have formally withdrawn from their studies before the apprenticeship begins.
- Predicted grades not sufficient: Our minimum educational entry requirements are set out in the Person Specification section of the Job Description. Applicants should self-assess against the criteria, but they do need to have those qualifications in hand at the time of application predicted grades are not sufficient.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job description
Job responsibilities
Details of the main responsibilities of the roles are set out in the Job Description and Person Specification, a copy of which is attached.
Please note that interviews for shortlisted applicants are planned to take place, in person, on the following date:
Wednesday 17th December 2025.
Important Note:
Apart from the minimum educational requirements set out in the Person Specification section of the Job Description, there are some additional restrictions and exclusions, which are set out below:
- Existing legal qualification/training: Apart from the minimum educational requirements set out in the Person Specification section of the Job Description, there are some additional restrictions in that the training provided by way of an apprenticeship must be materially different from any prior qualification/s. It follows that if, for example, an individual holds a law degree, they will not be eligible for a paralegal apprenticeship because they have already completed a formal legal qualification that surpasses the entry level training that will be provided by a paralegal apprenticeship.
- Candidates cannot be enrolled in any other form of education: individuals cannot undertake an apprenticeship while enrolled in any other form of education, whether full- or part-time. This is a condition outlined by the government and applies across all apprenticeship programmes. Therefore, applicants who are currently part-way through a course of study would not be eligible unless they have formally withdrawn from their studies before the apprenticeship begins.
- Predicted grades not sufficient: Our minimum educational entry requirements are set out in the Person Specification section of the Job Description. Applicants should self-assess against the criteria, but they do need to have those qualifications in hand at the time of application predicted grades are not sufficient.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- English and Mathematics GCSEs at grade 9-4 (A* to C or equivalent); and Two A levels at Grade C or above (or equivalent).
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a pressurised environment.
- Experience of producing written material to a high standard.
Desirable
- Working experience of complaints, claims administration, clinical risk management or governance.
Skills
Essential
- Computer literacy including ability to analyse data using databases, Excel or related tools.
- Ability to use initiative, work with minimal supervision and organise own workload priorities.
- Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality both inside and outside the Trust.
- Ability to quickly learn how to use new electronic information systems.
- Excellent communication skills - both written and verbal including good telephone manner.
- Ability to set up systems of work that ensure that many streams of activity can be managed in parallel so that no tasks get forgotten.
- Thorough and methodical approach to photocopying and preparing documents for 8 disclosure.
- Excellent skills in analysing data using computer software, identifying trends and compiling reports to a high standard.
- Able to take accurate and meaningful minutes.
Person Specification
Education/Qualifications
Essential
- English and Mathematics GCSEs at grade 9-4 (A* to C or equivalent); and Two A levels at Grade C or above (or equivalent).
Previous Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in a pressurised environment.
- Experience of producing written material to a high standard.
Desirable
- Working experience of complaints, claims administration, clinical risk management or governance.
Skills
Essential
- Computer literacy including ability to analyse data using databases, Excel or related tools.
- Ability to use initiative, work with minimal supervision and organise own workload priorities.
- Ability to maintain absolute confidentiality both inside and outside the Trust.
- Ability to quickly learn how to use new electronic information systems.
- Excellent communication skills - both written and verbal including good telephone manner.
- Ability to set up systems of work that ensure that many streams of activity can be managed in parallel so that no tasks get forgotten.
- Thorough and methodical approach to photocopying and preparing documents for 8 disclosure.
- Excellent skills in analysing data using computer software, identifying trends and compiling reports to a high standard.
- Able to take accurate and meaningful minutes.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
