NHS Resolution

Early Notification Family Liaison Officer

The closing date is 22 March 2026

Job summary

We are pleased to advertise an exciting opportunity to join NHS Resolutions Early Notification (EN) team, working within the Safety and Learning Directorate, as a Family Liaison Officer on an 18 month fixed term basis with the possibility of extension / becoming permanent.

This role is offered at Pay Band: AfC 8a.

Main duties of the job

Since its launch in April 2017, the EN Scheme has played a vital role in maternity care. All maternity services are required to notify NHS Resolution of incidents where there is potential for long-term severe brain injury. The Schemes aims are to:

  • Investigate potential eligibility for compensation, taking proactive steps to reduce legal costs and improve the experience for families and staff.
  • Share learning quickly with individual trusts and across the wider system to support safety improvements and prevent recurrence.
  • Build on our Saying Sorry and Being Fair work, ensuring that openness, candour and learning are never barriers to obtaining compensation.
  • Preserve evidence so we can respond effectively should families bring cases at a later date.
  • Improve the process of obtaining compensation for families, meeting needs in real time wherever possible and reducing the risk of claims escalating unnecessarily.

NHS Resolution is committed to enhancing our approach to family engagement to ensure that the experience and perspectives of families affected by severe birth injury remains central to what the EN scheme aims to achieve. We call on the skills and expertise of our Family Liaison team and build on the work we have done to improve how we communicate with families, by developing support materials that meet the needs of diverse audiences.

This is a unique opportunity to contribute your family engagement expertise at a national level.

About us

About us NHS Resolution is a not-for-profit arms length of the NHS working for health care providers to resolve claims fairly and to share learning across the NHS and beyond. We provide a supportive environment for our staff with specialist training and the opportunity for personal development.

NHS Resolution operates several indemnity schemes, on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, primarily for the handling of liability claims against English NHS Trusts and other commissioners and/or providers of NHS care.

Details

Date posted

05 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

18 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

000321

Job locations

Remote

Remote

West Yorkshire

LS1 4AP


Job description

Job responsibilities

The family liaison officer:

  • Acts as a primary point of contact for families, clinical teams and legal professionals. They provide compassionate, tailored support to families, with clear communication and timely responses in sensitive and complex situations.
  • Has the ability to navigate complex, emotive circumstances with sensitivity and discretion.
  • Supports the development, implementation, maintenance and review of the family engagement processes and mediation for the EN team.
  • Is a key role necessitating a highly motivated individual, able to demonstrate strong leadership, problem solving skills and who is experienced working with families, clinicians and stakeholders, with an in-depth working knowledge of the wider maternity and neonatal patient safety landscape.
  • Collaborates with families, family voice representatives and other national stakeholders, to develop, implement, maintain and evaluate family engagement for the EN team.

This is a home-based role with a requirement to attend our Leeds / London office for meetings and travel across England .

What you'll be doing

  • Identifying and implementing opportunities for continuously improving communication processes for families within the EN Scheme.
  • Facilitating a holistic approach when engaging with families taking into consideration their needs and ongoing needs of their baby / child.
  • Acting as a point of contact between families and the EN clinical and legal teams and coordinating internal and external resources to provide appropriate and effective responses to families regarding progress with their case under the EN Scheme.
  • Being responsible for the ongoing planning, development, implementation and audit of effective governance guidance and pathways for family engagement and mediation, to ensure internal processes are robust and underpin good practice principles, which will positively affect families and other teams.
  • Contributing to the EN and the organisation’s strategy, leading on the development of mechanisms and platforms for sharing knowledge through creative engagement with member Trusts and clinical experts to enable learning from best practice, facilitate problem-solving and identifying innovative solutions.

What you'll bring

  • Qualification in, and /or equivalent extensive experience of working with families who have experienced birth injury, trauma or bereavement.

  • Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills including actively listening; persuasive; influencing; advising; negotiating and motivating, with the ability to adapt communication styles to the situation.

  • Extensive previous experience working in or with teams in maternity and neonatal services and key stakeholders in the maternity and neonatal landscape.

  • Demonstrate extensive working knowledge and understanding of the national maternity healthcare landscape, patient safety and relevant strategic policies of the NHS.

  • Knowledge and understanding of the links between patient safety and a learning culture.

  • Knowledge of the EN Scheme and key priorities for NHS Resolution.

What we offer in return

  • Competitive salary and benefits package.
  • Opportunities for career growth and development.
  • Collaborative and innovative work environment.
  • Work in a progressive environment towards data-driven strategies.
  • A commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion.
  • Access to the NHS Pension Scheme and a minimum of 27 days Annual Leave.
  • Commitment to support individuals in having a work and life balance, offering flexible working arrangements.

When joining the NHS family, there are a wealth of savings, discounts and support you will be able to access.

  • 24 hours employee assistance programme from Health Assured (EAP)
  • Eye care vouchers for Specsavers.
  • Health service discounts.
  • Blue Light card, a discount service for the emergency services and the NHS.
  • Cycle to work scheme.
  • Season ticket loan scheme.

To apply please provide us with a supporting statement explaining exactly what you will bring to this role and how you meet the essential criteria in terms of your background, experience and career achievements to date. As well as your anonymised CV listing detailed work history and job responsibilities.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Elizabeth Pells, Early Notification Family Liaison and Mediation Lead by email: elizabeth.pells@nhs.net to arrange a telephone / Teams call.

We recognise some candidates may wish to use AI to support their application. We do not prohibit such use but please clearly indicate in your application where you have used AI

Job advert closes 22 March 2026

Shortlisting 23 March 2026

Assessment submitted by 29 March 2026

Interviews either 30 or 31 March 2026

We reserve the right to close the advertisement early, should we receive sufficient applications.

You must have the right to live and work in the UK. If you require a Visa, NHS Resolution is currently unable to support sponsorship requests.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The family liaison officer:

  • Acts as a primary point of contact for families, clinical teams and legal professionals. They provide compassionate, tailored support to families, with clear communication and timely responses in sensitive and complex situations.
  • Has the ability to navigate complex, emotive circumstances with sensitivity and discretion.
  • Supports the development, implementation, maintenance and review of the family engagement processes and mediation for the EN team.
  • Is a key role necessitating a highly motivated individual, able to demonstrate strong leadership, problem solving skills and who is experienced working with families, clinicians and stakeholders, with an in-depth working knowledge of the wider maternity and neonatal patient safety landscape.
  • Collaborates with families, family voice representatives and other national stakeholders, to develop, implement, maintain and evaluate family engagement for the EN team.

This is a home-based role with a requirement to attend our Leeds / London office for meetings and travel across England .

What you'll be doing

  • Identifying and implementing opportunities for continuously improving communication processes for families within the EN Scheme.
  • Facilitating a holistic approach when engaging with families taking into consideration their needs and ongoing needs of their baby / child.
  • Acting as a point of contact between families and the EN clinical and legal teams and coordinating internal and external resources to provide appropriate and effective responses to families regarding progress with their case under the EN Scheme.
  • Being responsible for the ongoing planning, development, implementation and audit of effective governance guidance and pathways for family engagement and mediation, to ensure internal processes are robust and underpin good practice principles, which will positively affect families and other teams.
  • Contributing to the EN and the organisation’s strategy, leading on the development of mechanisms and platforms for sharing knowledge through creative engagement with member Trusts and clinical experts to enable learning from best practice, facilitate problem-solving and identifying innovative solutions.

What you'll bring

  • Qualification in, and /or equivalent extensive experience of working with families who have experienced birth injury, trauma or bereavement.

  • Well-developed interpersonal and communication skills including actively listening; persuasive; influencing; advising; negotiating and motivating, with the ability to adapt communication styles to the situation.

  • Extensive previous experience working in or with teams in maternity and neonatal services and key stakeholders in the maternity and neonatal landscape.

  • Demonstrate extensive working knowledge and understanding of the national maternity healthcare landscape, patient safety and relevant strategic policies of the NHS.

  • Knowledge and understanding of the links between patient safety and a learning culture.

  • Knowledge of the EN Scheme and key priorities for NHS Resolution.

What we offer in return

  • Competitive salary and benefits package.
  • Opportunities for career growth and development.
  • Collaborative and innovative work environment.
  • Work in a progressive environment towards data-driven strategies.
  • A commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion.
  • Access to the NHS Pension Scheme and a minimum of 27 days Annual Leave.
  • Commitment to support individuals in having a work and life balance, offering flexible working arrangements.

When joining the NHS family, there are a wealth of savings, discounts and support you will be able to access.

  • 24 hours employee assistance programme from Health Assured (EAP)
  • Eye care vouchers for Specsavers.
  • Health service discounts.
  • Blue Light card, a discount service for the emergency services and the NHS.
  • Cycle to work scheme.
  • Season ticket loan scheme.

To apply please provide us with a supporting statement explaining exactly what you will bring to this role and how you meet the essential criteria in terms of your background, experience and career achievements to date. As well as your anonymised CV listing detailed work history and job responsibilities.

If you have any questions about the role, please contact Elizabeth Pells, Early Notification Family Liaison and Mediation Lead by email: elizabeth.pells@nhs.net to arrange a telephone / Teams call.

We recognise some candidates may wish to use AI to support their application. We do not prohibit such use but please clearly indicate in your application where you have used AI

Job advert closes 22 March 2026

Shortlisting 23 March 2026

Assessment submitted by 29 March 2026

Interviews either 30 or 31 March 2026

We reserve the right to close the advertisement early, should we receive sufficient applications.

You must have the right to live and work in the UK. If you require a Visa, NHS Resolution is currently unable to support sponsorship requests.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Please see JD.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Please see JD.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Resolution

Address

Remote

Remote

West Yorkshire

LS1 4AP


Employer's website

https://resolution.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

NHS Resolution

Address

Remote

Remote

West Yorkshire

LS1 4AP


Employer's website

https://resolution.nhs.uk/careers/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Family Liaison and Mediation Lead

Elizabeth Pells

elizabeth.pells@nhs.net

Details

Date posted

05 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8a

Salary

£55,690 to £62,682 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

18 months

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

000321

Job locations

Remote

Remote

West Yorkshire

LS1 4AP


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