Working Part time: 15 or 22.5 hours per week
Assistant for Inquests to work 2 or 3 days per week as part of a proposed job-share arrangement.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of the Legal Services Team at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
The Legal Services team falls within Corporate Services and works closely with colleagues across the Trust to resolve legal issues and to contribute to the governance structure.
The role will be worked on a job share basis and will involve obtaining reports and statements for coroner's inquest investigations, providing information and support for witnesses in the lead up to and at the inquest hearing.
Subject to agreement, the successful candidate will job-share the full role, with shared responsibility for service delivery and clear handover arrangements.
We are committed to flexible working and will review the job-share arrangement to ensure it meets both service needs and the needs of post-holders.
Main duties of the job
Primary responsibility requires the post-holder to:
* Coordinate and manage inquest processes from notification through to conclusion
* Act as a key point of contact for witnesses, providing practical and procedural support before and during inquest hearings
* Prepare witnesses for the inquest process, including explaining procedures, timetables, and what to expect on the day
* Attend and support inquest hearings as required
* Liaise with coroners' courts, legal representatives, clinicians, and internal teams
* Prepare and manage documentation, case files, and hearing logistics
* Work closely with the job-share partner to ensure continuity, consistency, and effective handovers
The Trust's services are provided from three locations:
* The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 473 general and acute beds.
* Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 60 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility.
* Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.
The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust employs 5,964 staff (headcount) to provide care and treatment to a population of over 400,000 people living in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire.
The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care System. Due to its location on the border with North Wales, the Trust also works closely with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board.
The Trust treats patients from England and some parts of Wales. During 2024/2025, there were approximately 643,000 patient attendances (inpatient, A&E, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery
See Job Description for further details.
Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values. An applicant guide to help and support you through your recruitment journey can be accessed at the bottom of this page.
If you have a disability that meets the definition set out in the Equality Act 2010, and you can show that you meet the 'essential' criteria described in the person specification for an available position, please answer 'YES' to the question: 'Do you wish to be considered under the Guaranteed Interview Scheme?'
Please inform the team if you have any special support needs to be considered as part of the interview and selection processes.
The trust offers a Guaranteed Interview Scheme to any armed forces community applicants who meet the essential criteria for the post.
If a DBS is required for your role, you are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee applies which is payable to the DBS Service. Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs will be deducted from their salary over the first three months of employment.
New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.
Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the website -
The Trust will not sponsor where the starting salary does not meet immigration rules
Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.
Good luck with your application.