Job summary
Working Part time: 15 or 22.5 hours per week
Assistant for Inquests to work 2 or 3 days per week as part of a proposed job-share arrangement.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the Legal Services Team at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
The Legal Services team falls within Corporate Services and works closely with colleagues across the Trust to resolve legal issues and to contribute to the governance structure.
The role will be worked on a job share basis and will involve obtaining reports and statements for coroner's inquest investigations, providing information and support for witnesses in the lead up to and at the inquest hearing.
Subject to agreement, the successful candidate will job-share the full role, with shared responsibility for service delivery and clear handover arrangements.
We are committed to flexible working and will review the job-share arrangement to ensure it meets both service needs and the needs of post-holders.
Main duties of the job
Main duties of the job
Primary responsibility requires the post-holder to:
Coordinate and manage inquest processes from notification through to conclusion
Act as a key point of contact for witnesses, providing practical and procedural support before and during inquest hearings
Prepare witnesses for the inquest process, including explaining procedures, timetables, and what to expect on the day
Attend and support inquest hearings as required
Liaise with coroners' courts, legal representatives, clinicians, and internal teams
Prepare and manage documentation, case files, and hearing logistics
Work closely with the job-share partner to ensure continuity, consistency, and effective handovers
About us
The Trust's services are provided from three locations: o The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds. o Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility. o Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population. The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the essential criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer YES to the question: Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.
Person Specification
Qualificiation
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent level of knowledge and experience.
- Legal qualification (fully or partially completed) or Minimum of 12 months' experience working in a legal, inquest, regulatory or governance setting.
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience supporting legal, inquest, coronial, or regulatory processes, including managing complex case files, deadlines, and sensitive information.
- Proven ability to work accurately with confidential records and legal documentation, with a clear understanding of data protection, information governance, and professional confidentiality requirements.
Desirable
- Knowledge of computerised medical records systems.
- Previous NHS Experience
Person Specification
Qualificiation
Essential
- Educated to degree level or equivalent level of knowledge and experience.
- Legal qualification (fully or partially completed) or Minimum of 12 months' experience working in a legal, inquest, regulatory or governance setting.
Knowledge and experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience supporting legal, inquest, coronial, or regulatory processes, including managing complex case files, deadlines, and sensitive information.
- Proven ability to work accurately with confidential records and legal documentation, with a clear understanding of data protection, information governance, and professional confidentiality requirements.
Desirable
- Knowledge of computerised medical records systems.
- Previous NHS Experience
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).
