Job overview
Directly:
Supervisory Delegated Claims Authority (DCA) Matrix
Own decision-making authority on clinical negligence cases up to £ million (based on NHSR latest Damages Reserve)
This authority covers Legal Services Department decision making, to include:
• admissions on breach of duty and/or causation
• litigation offers (financial and % discounts)
• decision to defend and/or reject proposed admissions.
• decision to attempt resolution and decide on wider admissions.
• participation in Case Conferences/RTMs/mediations
• confirming instructions to NHSR/Panel/Counsel
• briefs to SMT on case decisions/outcomes (DRCA approval req’d)
• approval of Trust witness statements/Expert reports
• Authorised signatory for litigation documents: Defences/Orders/ Disclosure Lists/ Pleadings
• Steps listed above for Trainee/NQ Solicitor and CIOs caseloads.
Department (LSD) In-house Solicitors (Deputy HoL, Deputy HoC), Solicitor Apprentice and Claims & Inquest Officers When Consultant Solicitor/Deputy Head of Claims is deputising for DHoL: Higher Delegated Authority
Applying own decision-making authority on clinical cases up to £ million (as outlined above)
Main duties of the job
• To independently investigate, manage, review, supervise working alongside OUHFT staff witnesses, legal teams (outlined above), and provide direction and apply own authorised decision making authority (tiered as outlined in the Delegated Authority Matrix above) in the conduct clinical negligence claims (directly managed by DHoL, NQ Solicitor and CIOs) made against the Trust and to provide expert legal advice on all aspects of such claims, ensuring compliance with the Claims Management Policy, Court pre-action protocols, legislation and NHS Resolution guidelines .
Working for our organisation
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. For more information on OUH please view
Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.
We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.