Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead an inhouse legal
team at a community and mental health NHS Trust. The team provide a comprehensive legal
service, covering inquests, claims, employment, court of protection and general
queries across the host trust and also a neighbouring acute trust.
Every day is likely to be different and at times can be
unpredictable! The role is challenging
although hugely rewarding being part of the NHS family and supporting front
line staff deliver excellent patient care.
Any external candidate is likely to be have significant experience in
undertaking employment litigation and advice as well as exposure to the main
areas covered by the legal team (inquests, claims, court of protection and
general healthcare queries).
The role is based at 2 Kings Court, Worcester, WR5 1JR and
offers a hybrid approach, with 3 days working in the office or at one of our
many sites and up to 2 days working at home.
There friendly team consists of 3 solicitors as well as 3 paralegal
staff supporting the work undertaken.
This is an excellent opportunity to undertake high quality
work, deliver excellent customer service whilst also having flexibility and a
work/life balance.
If this sounds like the role for you, read on!
Main duties of the job
The role is to head the inhouse
legal team, providing leadership, support and direction as well as undertaking
a caseload. For external candidates this
will involve employment litigation and advice as well as covering other aspects
of healthcare advice or litigation.
Developing relationships with staff at both NHS trusts, as well as
externally is critical, to deliver the best quality service. There is a wide range of work and previous
experience covering the areas of inquests, claims, employment advice/litigation,
as well as court of protection, or advising on matters relating to
confidentiality. Every day can potentially be different, whether it is picking
up an urgent query, or supporting other staff to do so.
The postholder will be leading
and inspiring others in the team to deliver their roles and be their best to
support front line staff to support patients.
This will include setting the operational plan for the team and ensuring
that it is delivered.
Exposure to a range of different
areas will be useful, as the work can be varied and intellectually
challenging.
About us
At Herefordshire and Worcestershire Health and Care NHS Trust,
we are working together to deliver outstanding care. We run community hospitals
and community health services across Worcestershire and provide mental health
and learning disability services across both Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Our people (all 4500+ of them) provide services for people of
all ages, experiencing both physical and/or mental health conditions from over
100 sites.
We will support you to thrive; offer flexible
working options for a great work-life balance, help you fulfil your ambitions,
and empower you to make positive changes within your team or service. We value
diversity and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, cultures,
and ethnicities.
What we offer;
-
27 days leave plus bank holidays, increasing up to
33 days with long service
-
Generous NHS pension and enhanced pay when you work
unsocial hours
-
Flexible and agile working opportunities
-
Great maternity, paternity, and adoption support
-
Wide range of supportive staff networks
-
Health and wellbeing opportunities
If you would like to know more, please visit our
website.
We encourage you to read the attached applicant guidance notes.
Sharing
your data - As a data controller we may sometimes need to process your data to
pursue our legitimate business interests, for example to request a survey from
you (optional), to support the Trusts understanding of where you gained
interest in working for the Trust.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For
full details of the duties and criteria for the role please refer to the job
description and person specification attached.
Job description
Job responsibilities
For
full details of the duties and criteria for the role please refer to the job
description and person specification attached.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding the overall aims, ethos and regulatory framework of the NHS.
Experience
Essential
- Extensive Experience in providing legal advice in a highly complex environment.
- Substantial experience of working successfully at a senior level within a confidential environment.
- Substantial experience of line managing a team, including management of budgets.
- Experience of managing and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Significant experience of working in and/or exposure to the NHS including an in-depth knowledge of duties and powers of a mental health trust and the NHSR indemnity scheme rules.
- Extensive experience of managing claims arising under statute and contract, employer liability, public liability and clinical negligence.
- Extensive experience in providing and managing legal support to witnesses at a senior level to give evidence in court.
- Significant experience in managing staff with a large caseload of legal cases.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Significant experience of employment advice and litigation.
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters Degree or equivalent.
- Law degree or equivalent and post graduate diploma in legal practice, as well as 2-year training contract to be admitted as a Solicitor.
- Admitted and practising Solicitor (or capable of admission to the Law Society) or Barrister with significant practising experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
- I understand that I will be asked to provide original certificates to verify my qualifications at point of offer.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- IT skills
- Ability to challenge poor behaviour.
- Role modelling good behaviour.
- A positive attitude and able to act on feedback.
- Ability to praise and be supportive to others.
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English in both verbal and written formats.
- Ability to explain complex concepts and legislation for a variety of audiences such as clinicians, managers and external stakeholders.
- Able to write high quality and detailed reports and documents that convey highly complex information that may be extremely sensitive or contentious.
- Highly developed negotiation skills with the ability to adopt flexible approaches to achieve the best outcomes for the organisation.
- Well developed ability to analyse complex and detailed information and make it useful.
- Ability to manage upwards particularly contentious issues which may not wish to be heard.
- Sound political judgement and astuteness in understanding and working with complex policy and the ability to interpret this and relay it to a range of audiences
- Honesty and Integrity with a strong commitment to openness in ones work and interaction with others.
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding the overall aims, ethos and regulatory framework of the NHS.
Experience
Essential
- Extensive Experience in providing legal advice in a highly complex environment.
- Substantial experience of working successfully at a senior level within a confidential environment.
- Substantial experience of line managing a team, including management of budgets.
- Experience of managing and maintaining relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Significant experience of working in and/or exposure to the NHS including an in-depth knowledge of duties and powers of a mental health trust and the NHSR indemnity scheme rules.
- Extensive experience of managing claims arising under statute and contract, employer liability, public liability and clinical negligence.
- Extensive experience in providing and managing legal support to witnesses at a senior level to give evidence in court.
- Significant experience in managing staff with a large caseload of legal cases.
Additional Criteria
Essential
- Significant experience of employment advice and litigation.
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Masters Degree or equivalent.
- Law degree or equivalent and post graduate diploma in legal practice, as well as 2-year training contract to be admitted as a Solicitor.
- Admitted and practising Solicitor (or capable of admission to the Law Society) or Barrister with significant practising experience.
- Evidence of continuing professional development.
- I understand that I will be asked to provide original certificates to verify my qualifications at point of offer.
Skills & Abilities
Essential
- IT skills
- Ability to challenge poor behaviour.
- Role modelling good behaviour.
- A positive attitude and able to act on feedback.
- Ability to praise and be supportive to others.
- Ability to communicate clearly and effectively in English in both verbal and written formats.
- Ability to explain complex concepts and legislation for a variety of audiences such as clinicians, managers and external stakeholders.
- Able to write high quality and detailed reports and documents that convey highly complex information that may be extremely sensitive or contentious.
- Highly developed negotiation skills with the ability to adopt flexible approaches to achieve the best outcomes for the organisation.
- Well developed ability to analyse complex and detailed information and make it useful.
- Ability to manage upwards particularly contentious issues which may not wish to be heard.
- Sound political judgement and astuteness in understanding and working with complex policy and the ability to interpret this and relay it to a range of audiences
- Honesty and Integrity with a strong commitment to openness in ones work and interaction with others.
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
