Job overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust and support the development of an in-house Legal Affairs Team.
You will need to have a recognised legal qualification and current professional registration, combined with recent experience in the field of healthcare law, social care law, information governance law as well as clinical negligence.
You should be self-motivated and enthusiastic, with excellent written and verbal communication skills, an eye for accuracy and detail, and a desire to ensure high quality care and services to patients, staff and the public.
You will be responsible for providing legal advice and services to Trust staff across a wide range of matters, including supporting clinical teams in learning from claims and inquests, and contributing to other patient safety initiatives.
An ability to work with minimal supervision and manage day to day systems, processes and teams whilst managing a personal workload is essential.
In return we offer a market leading pension scheme, Flexible working patterns and flexible work locations as well as genuine work-life balance along with a host of benefits including salary sacrifice schemes for cars.
Main duties of the job
Main Duties/Responsibilities
Inquests:
1. Liaise with the Coroner’s office and obtain reports/witness statements, identifying relevant clinicians following review of clinical records.
2. Identify and provide advice to the Trust Board on complex cases and those where there is potential for an adverse outcome.
3. Provide representation and advocacy in the Coroner's Court.
4. Provide appropriate support to Trust staff in relation to the Inquest process.
Legal Advice:
1. To provide professional in-house legal advice and services across a range of matters, but particularly in relation to medico-legal issues;
2. To provide professional in-house legal advice in relation to all matters pertaining to Mental Capacity Act 2005, especially serious medical treatment, deprivation of liberty, place of residence and care arrangements.
3. To provide advice to Trust’s Mental Health Law Team on all matters related to application of Mental Health Act and related frameworks.
Litigation:
1. Assist in the management of litigation claims against the Trust for clinical negligence and employer and public liability claims, in accordance with pre-action protocols, civil procedure rules and NHS Resolution reporting requirements.
2. To undertake factual investigations of clinical negligence, public liability and employers' liability claims against the Trust in accordance with Trust policies and the requirements of NHS Resolution;
Working for our organisation
We’re a Trust that’s big enough to make an impact, but small enough to feel personal. We care deeply about our people - both those we support in the community and those who work with us. As our Trust Solicitor you’ll play a key role in shaping our future, improving our culture, driving excellence, and helping us deliver compassionate, high-quality care every day.
This is your chance to make a lasting impact. To help us do our best for the Black Country, and for everyone who calls it home.
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust provides specialist mental health, learning disability, and community healthcare services for the population of the Black Country. Across the whole of the region, we provide:
· Adult and older adult mental health services
· Specialist learning disability services
· CAMHS
Black Country Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust was formed on 1 April 2020, after NHS England and NHS Improvement approved the merger of Black Country Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and Dudley and Walsall Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust.
Combining resources, strategies and talented workforce enables us to deliver a wider variety of outstanding services that are based on best practice and are continually improving.
As a public body, we are accountable to the people we serve. The Trust Board is responsible for determining the strategy and overall direction of the Trust in an open, honest, and transparent manner.
Essential criteria
* Solicitor/Barrister with current practising certificate
* Minimum 3 years relevant post-qualification experience as a Solicitor/Barrister/Legal Executive
* Experience of working within a legal team
* Experience of handling inquests in the Coroner’s Court
* Experience of handling welfare matters in the Court of Protection
* Experience of handling matters in the family court and High Court Family Division
* Experience of managing clinical negligence claims
* Experience of providing advice on data protection and information governance law related matters
* Advocacy experience in a variety of settings
* Teaching/training experience
* Specific experience in healthcare law and providing advice to clinicians.
* Knowledge of the principles and processes of litigation within the UK Courts and Tribunal service