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Overview
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust’s Corporate Governance Team as a Public Sector Paralegal. This is a permanent, full‑time role (37.5 hours per week). The successful candidate will support the Legal Services Manager across a broad range of legal matters, including managing employment tribunal claims and supporting HR‑related legal processes, handling claims and assisting with Coroners investigations and data protection matters.
Responsibilities
HR Duties
* Assist the Legal Services Manager and HR colleagues in the management of employment‑related legal matters, including disciplinary, grievance, and capability procedures, ensuring compliance with employment law and Trust policies.
* Support the preparation and coordination of documentation for internal hearings and Employment Tribunal proceedings, including gathering evidence, identifying witnesses, and drafting case summaries.
* Liaise with external legal advisers, ACAS, and relevant internal stakeholders to facilitate the resolution of employment disputes, ensuring statutory deadlines and procedural requirements are met.
* Maintain accurate records of employment‑related legal matters on the Legal Services database, ensuring timely updates and supporting reporting requirements.
* Contribute to the development and review of policies and procedures relating to employment law and HR governance, identifying areas for improvement and ensuring alignment with legal obligations and best practice.
Claims & Litigation
* Act as the main point of contact for all claims, clinical and non‑clinical, made against the Trust.
* Support the Legal Services Manager in the conduct of clinical negligence claims, including initial review of medical records for disclosure, completing a synopsis of the case, providing advice on additional evidence required, and providing administrative support as necessary.
* Ensure all new clinical negligence claims are reviewed, entered into the claims database (DATIX), and that checks are made to identify any previous complaints or internal investigations.
* Manage employer/public liability claims from start to finish, including preliminary investigations, gathering of evidence, identifying relevant witnesses, and providing a preliminary report to the Legal Services Manager.
* Identify any claims that present a litigation risk and report them to NHS Resolution under the direction of the Legal Services Manager.
* Use own initiative to identify relevant staff to direct enquiries to in claim management.
* Support the Legal Services Manager with the management of complex and/or contentious cases, ensuring evidence is requested and obtained promptly and escalating cases where responses are lacking.
* Maintain data on the claims database, ensuring it reflects the current position of each claim.
* Propose changes to Standing Operating Procedures and Trust policy related to Claims Management as and when appropriate.
Coroners Inquests
* Set up new cases on the Legal Services database, obtain medical records, liaise with the risk management team to identify complaints or incident investigations, review medical records, identify factual witnesses, and manage the case as requested by the Legal Services Manager.
* Review evidence before it is disclosed to the Coroner, identifying further evidence needed and highlighting issues to the Legal Services Manager.
* Support the Legal Services Manager in ensuring smooth organisation of complex inquests and facilitating instruction and provision of information to external legal advisers.
* Provide in‑house support and guidance for Trust staff attending inquests and arrange pre‑inquest support meetings as requested.
* Contribute to the formulation and revision of legal services policies and procedures.
Legal Advice
* Support the Legal Services Manager in providing specialist legal healthcare advice by obtaining clear and detailed information from those requesting advice.
General Duties
* Undertake any other duties commensurate with this post.
* Minimise the Trust’s environmental impact wherever possible, including recycling, switching off lights and equipment when not in use, reducing paper waste, reporting faults and heating/cooling concerns, and minimising travel.
Application Process
* To apply, submit your application via TRAC. Please ensure you check your TRAC account regularly as this is how we will communicate with you during the shortlisting and selection process.
* Complete all sections of the application form fully. Provide full details of all referees, including business email address, telephone contact details, and postal address.
* For enquiries, email the Legal Services Manager (contact information available on the TRAC portal).
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