Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen in the Legal Services Department for a motivated person to work in an in house legal team at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
To provide administrative support within the Legal Services Department to enable the effective conduct of all its functions including, but not limited to, clinical negligence claims, personal injury claims and inquests. The post holder will liaise with staff of all grades within the organisation to gather and collate information for onward distribution.
To ensure the tasks and responsibilities delegated by the Head of Legal Services or Legal Officer are undertaken accurately, are fulfilled within urgent timescales, and completed to a high standard. To be ensure that the office administration (stationery, services etc.) are organised and conducive to a positive working environment.
To manage diaries of senior team members within the Legal Services Department and to support the Trust's Quality and Safety Governance senior leadership team by providing high quality administrative support to meetings.
Main duties of the job
The post holder is responsible for (this includes and is not limited to):
To provide administrative support within the Legal Services Department to enable the effective conduct of all its functions including, but not limited to, clinical negligence claims, personal injury claims, child protection and safeguarding cases and support court action for inquests. The post holder will liaise with staff of all grades within the organisation to gather and collate information for onward distribution.
To ensure the tasks and responsibilities delegated by the Head of Legal Services or Legal Officer are undertaken accurately, are fulfilled within urgent timescales, and completed to a high standard. To be ensure that the office administration (stationery, services etc.) are organised and conducive to a positive working environment.
To manage diaries of senior team members within the Legal Services Department and to support the Trust's Quality and Safety Governance senior leadership team by providing high quality administrative support to meetings.
About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology.
Our Values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity, and creating a culture that values differences.
Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Taking a flexible approach, prioritise own workload to meet deadlines, discussing conflicts with the relevant manager.
To provide general administrative support to the department, including printing/scanning, typing of documents, minutes of meetings and maintaining departmental records.
Ensure all urgent and/or confidential communications are received and distributed from/to relevant parties in a timely manner.
Arrange meetings, maintenance of current memberships and terms of reference, preparing and circulating agendas, and producing minutes as required. Receive papers, collate and distribute agenda and papers, both internally and externally.
Make necessary arrangements to ensure the smooth running of the meetings, including off-site strategic sessions by booking appropriate venues.
Collate reports and information for multiple requirements including both internal and external quality and safety meetings as directed by the Deputy Director of Quality and Safety Governance.
Deal independently with routine yet complex matters in a professional and prompt manner. Act as the Departments representative in verbal and written communications with others, whether internal or external to the Trust, promoting a professional image.
Deal with enquiries to the team, which includes liaising with service users, relatives and professionals from external agencies and the Trust, maintaining a confidential and accurate message system.
Act as a point of contact within the department, dealing and responding effectively with complex queries from stakeholders and passing on relevant information to appropriate team members sensitively and autonomously.
Working together with other administrators/PAs within the Trust to provide an effective network of communication including dealing with visitors to the Trust and being flexible to cover other administrators general duties on an ad hoc basis.
Contribute suggestions to the team for consideration when an idea for change to systems and processes may help to improve departmental systems, processes or workload.
Act in such a way as to promote a positive culture of learning, development and professionalism within the services, where all staff understand and are involved in working together towards the achievement of Departmental and Trust objectives.
On behalf of heads of department and under their direction, set up appointments and create induction timetables for new starters ensuring that relevant training and access to IT systems are organised.
Undertake appropriate training/education as required in order to maximise potential in the role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Taking a flexible approach, prioritise own workload to meet deadlines, discussing conflicts with the relevant manager.
To provide general administrative support to the department, including printing/scanning, typing of documents, minutes of meetings and maintaining departmental records.
Ensure all urgent and/or confidential communications are received and distributed from/to relevant parties in a timely manner.
Arrange meetings, maintenance of current memberships and terms of reference, preparing and circulating agendas, and producing minutes as required. Receive papers, collate and distribute agenda and papers, both internally and externally.
Make necessary arrangements to ensure the smooth running of the meetings, including off-site strategic sessions by booking appropriate venues.
Collate reports and information for multiple requirements including both internal and external quality and safety meetings as directed by the Deputy Director of Quality and Safety Governance.
Deal independently with routine yet complex matters in a professional and prompt manner. Act as the Departments representative in verbal and written communications with others, whether internal or external to the Trust, promoting a professional image.
Deal with enquiries to the team, which includes liaising with service users, relatives and professionals from external agencies and the Trust, maintaining a confidential and accurate message system.
Act as a point of contact within the department, dealing and responding effectively with complex queries from stakeholders and passing on relevant information to appropriate team members sensitively and autonomously.
Working together with other administrators/PAs within the Trust to provide an effective network of communication including dealing with visitors to the Trust and being flexible to cover other administrators general duties on an ad hoc basis.
Contribute suggestions to the team for consideration when an idea for change to systems and processes may help to improve departmental systems, processes or workload.
Act in such a way as to promote a positive culture of learning, development and professionalism within the services, where all staff understand and are involved in working together towards the achievement of Departmental and Trust objectives.
On behalf of heads of department and under their direction, set up appointments and create induction timetables for new starters ensuring that relevant training and access to IT systems are organised.
Undertake appropriate training/education as required in order to maximise potential in the role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 5 GCSEs or equivalent, including Maths and English
- And 3 A Level passes
- OR BTEC in business admin or equivalent level of experience
- OR Educated to NVQ 4 level in a relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification or significant equivalent previous experience
Desirable
- RSA III Word Processing / typewriting or equivalent
- Training in advanced communication skills
- Training in the Datix or equivalent Risk Management System
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in an NHS setting with clinical and non-clinical staff, or similar
- Previous secretarial or administrative experience gained in a similar role
- Experience of producing reports in a professional format using information provided by others
- Experience in administering groups and committees, including arranging meetings, maintenance of current memberships and terms of reference, preparing and circulating agendas and producing minutes
Desirable
- Experience of working in a healthcare and or governance setting
- Experience of working in a legal services setting
Knowledge
Essential
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft office - word, excel, powerpoint
- Good understanding of Confidentiality and Data Protection Act and how to apply this to the role
- Strong use of Microsoft Outlook and web browsing software
Desirable
- Knowledge of NHS issues including patient safety and governance
- Knowledge of NHS Resolution Reporting Process
- Knowledge of Trust incident reporting processes
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- 5 GCSEs or equivalent, including Maths and English
- And 3 A Level passes
- OR BTEC in business admin or equivalent level of experience
- OR Educated to NVQ 4 level in a relevant subject or equivalent level of qualification or significant equivalent previous experience
Desirable
- RSA III Word Processing / typewriting or equivalent
- Training in advanced communication skills
- Training in the Datix or equivalent Risk Management System
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working in an NHS setting with clinical and non-clinical staff, or similar
- Previous secretarial or administrative experience gained in a similar role
- Experience of producing reports in a professional format using information provided by others
- Experience in administering groups and committees, including arranging meetings, maintenance of current memberships and terms of reference, preparing and circulating agendas and producing minutes
Desirable
- Experience of working in a healthcare and or governance setting
- Experience of working in a legal services setting
Knowledge
Essential
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft office - word, excel, powerpoint
- Good understanding of Confidentiality and Data Protection Act and how to apply this to the role
- Strong use of Microsoft Outlook and web browsing software
Desirable
- Knowledge of NHS issues including patient safety and governance
- Knowledge of NHS Resolution Reporting Process
- Knowledge of Trust incident reporting processes
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).
