Job summary
- Are you looking to an opportunity to be innovative with the support of a wonderful organisation as you drive the patient safety agenda in a community setting?
- Would you like to work in a highly successful Trust which has a 'Good' rating from CQC, does not have a financial deficit and whose staff and services have won several awards?
- Are you looking for an opportunity to work with a brilliant Legal & Risk team as a legal Services Manager and support the improvement of safety processes across central London and Hertfordshire as we embed learning from Inquests and claims.
Reporting to the Head of Legal and Risk, the post holder will manage a caseload of clinical negligence claims and other legal claims independently for the Trust. The post holder will also deliver direct advice to clinical services on legal using current evidence and research to underpin advice.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for:
- overseeing the management of a caseload of inquests ensuring positive relationships with the Coroners' Office and access to legal support as required.
- recognising when to escalate a situation for internal advice and external legal advice.
- ensuring that all policies, procedures, and activities in relation to claims and potential claims comply with the Civil Procedure Rules, incorporating the Pre-Action Protocol and that guidance and instructions on claims handling issued by NHS Resolution are regularly reviewed and procedures updated
- building processes to enhance compliance with Trust Policies and local protocols, particularly in response to incidents, risks, and other quality measures
We are highly committed to providing the best possible care and experience to the people we serve. To do that we make sure our systems and processes are as good as they can be and we invest heavily in employing and keeping highly skilled, committed staff. As the Deputy Chief Nursing officer (Director of Quality & Safety), I am committed to supporting and developing you and ensuring that you feel listened to and are enabled to add value within your role.
About us
Central London Community Healthcare (CLCH) is one of the largest community healthcare organisations in London and Hertfordshire, providing our services to diverse communities/boroughs in 11 London Boroughs - Barnet, Brent, Ealing, Hammersmith & Fulham, Harrow, Hounslow, Kensington and Chelsea, Merton, Richmond, Wandsworth, Westminster - and Hertfordshire.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Work autonomously to manage claims against the Trust in accordance with the Trusts Claims Policy.
- Manage the claims budget in collaboration with NHS Resolution
- To obtain data for complaints and litigation matters and liaise closely with the information Governance Department.
- Work autonomously to determine which clinician or member of staff who should provide in-house comments and request comments on the standard of care given, seeking identification of any breaches in that standard and an opinion on whether any breaches led to or materially contributed to the loss complained off.
- Acknowledge all pre-action claims in writing, ensuring that sufficient information has been obtained from the Claimants solicitors to begin an investigation.
- Maintaining a comprehensive Datix database regarding claims/Inquest activity.
- Provide support and advice to members of staff who are involved in claims investigations, who have been asked to attend Conferences with Counsel, or who are required to give evidence at Trial.
- Following NHSR rules, advise the NHSR of the Trusts stance in terms of liability on individual claims.
- Maintain and efficiently manage day-to-day correspondence during the life of the claim ensuring timely and accurate responses; with past and present staff, Claimants, and Panel Solicitors and the NHSR. Provide additional information as requested and liaise between the NHSR and panel solicitors and Trust staff when significant decisions are made regarding the management of the claim.
- Escalation of any identified risks to the trust risk registers.
- Receive comments on claims from clinical staff and others and ensure they appropriately cover the issues in sufficient depth to form an assessment of liability.
- Obtain all relevant documentation, information, and reports to assist the NHSR investigators and other legal advisors in assessing liability and quantum.
- Work autonomously to review external expert opinions regarding an assessment of liability (breach of duty and causation).
- Determine as far as possible the pertinent issues raised by the claim regarding the standard of care given and ensure that in-house comments appropriately cover the issues in sufficient depth to inform an assessment of liability.
To apply for the role, you should be educated to degree level or have equivalent experience as a Solicitor / ILEx (Graduate, Fellow, or equivalent member) or have a Law Degree or significant experience assisting in the management of clinical negligence claims). You will also need to be able to evidence continued professional development.
Please refer to the attached Job Description for full list of responsibilities
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Work autonomously to manage claims against the Trust in accordance with the Trusts Claims Policy.
- Manage the claims budget in collaboration with NHS Resolution
- To obtain data for complaints and litigation matters and liaise closely with the information Governance Department.
- Work autonomously to determine which clinician or member of staff who should provide in-house comments and request comments on the standard of care given, seeking identification of any breaches in that standard and an opinion on whether any breaches led to or materially contributed to the loss complained off.
- Acknowledge all pre-action claims in writing, ensuring that sufficient information has been obtained from the Claimants solicitors to begin an investigation.
- Maintaining a comprehensive Datix database regarding claims/Inquest activity.
- Provide support and advice to members of staff who are involved in claims investigations, who have been asked to attend Conferences with Counsel, or who are required to give evidence at Trial.
- Following NHSR rules, advise the NHSR of the Trusts stance in terms of liability on individual claims.
- Maintain and efficiently manage day-to-day correspondence during the life of the claim ensuring timely and accurate responses; with past and present staff, Claimants, and Panel Solicitors and the NHSR. Provide additional information as requested and liaise between the NHSR and panel solicitors and Trust staff when significant decisions are made regarding the management of the claim.
- Escalation of any identified risks to the trust risk registers.
- Receive comments on claims from clinical staff and others and ensure they appropriately cover the issues in sufficient depth to form an assessment of liability.
- Obtain all relevant documentation, information, and reports to assist the NHSR investigators and other legal advisors in assessing liability and quantum.
- Work autonomously to review external expert opinions regarding an assessment of liability (breach of duty and causation).
- Determine as far as possible the pertinent issues raised by the claim regarding the standard of care given and ensure that in-house comments appropriately cover the issues in sufficient depth to inform an assessment of liability.
To apply for the role, you should be educated to degree level or have equivalent experience as a Solicitor / ILEx (Graduate, Fellow, or equivalent member) or have a Law Degree or significant experience assisting in the management of clinical negligence claims). You will also need to be able to evidence continued professional development.
Please refer to the attached Job Description for full list of responsibilities
Person Specification
Education/Qualification
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience as Solicitor (2 or more years) / ILEx (Graduate, Fellow, or equivalent member) significant experience assisting in the management of clinical negligence claims).
- Evidence of continued professional development
- Further relevant training relevant to legal practice.
Person Specification
Education/Qualification
Essential
- Educated to Masters level or equivalent experience as Solicitor (2 or more years) / ILEx (Graduate, Fellow, or equivalent member) significant experience assisting in the management of clinical negligence claims).
- Evidence of continued professional development
- Further relevant training relevant to legal practice.
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).
