Deputy Head of Legal Services - Inquests

Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; Oxford; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent NHS teaching trust in Oxford seeks a qualified solicitor to manage legal services and conduct inquests. The role involves significant responsibilities in healthcare legal advice, leadership of the legal team, and collaboration with various stakeholders. Applicants must have a track record in healthcare law and demonstrate leadership and communication skills. Previous experience in an NHS environment is highly valued.

Qualifications

• Must be a qualified solicitor, Legal Executive, or Barrister admitted to practice in England and Wales.
• Significant experience in inquest management within an NHS Trust or similar environment.
• Demonstrated experience in staff management and training.

Responsibilities

• Deputise for the Head of Legal Services in managing the Legal Services Department.
• Conduct complex coroner's inquests and act as a legal advocate in court.
• Provide legal advice on healthcare law including consent and confidentiality.

Skills

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Legal expertise in healthcare

Analytical skills

Education

Qualified solicitor, Legal Executive, or Barrister

Degree level education with LPC or equivalent

Job description

Responsibilities

• To deputise for the Head of Legal Services in the management of the Legal Services Department and Subject Access Request Team and to directly line manager the Claims and Inquest Officers.
• To provide cross‑cover for the duties of the Deputy Head of Legal Services – Claims, as required.
• To act as a role model and provide positive, professional and accountable leadership to the legal team.
• Inquest Management: independently conduct a portfolio of complex coroner's inquests, act as legal advocate in court, liaise with coroners, instruct external legal representation and prepare responses to Regulation 28 reports to ensure compliance and organisational learning.
• Patient Safety and Communication: identifying and escalating patient safety risks from claims or inquests, and providing non‑clinical information to patients and relatives about legal claims and inquest processes.
• Policy, Training and Development: advising on clinical and non‑clinical policies, assisting in legal training development and delivery for staff, researching legal developments, leading inquest case management meetings and supporting continuous professional development.
• Healthcare Legal Advice: providing expert legal advice on healthcare law including patient consent, capacity, confidentiality, safeguarding and regulatory matters, and briefing senior management on sensitive legal issues with potential operational or reputational impact.
• Safeguarding Responsibilities: liaising with safeguarding leads on care proceedings, providing advice on disclosure and statements, supporting staff giving evidence in family courts, and advising on complex legal issues related to the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
• Police and Criminal Cases: deputising in managing police requests for healthcare records and statements, ensuring compliance with GDPR and confidentiality, liaising with police and security, and advising on legal actions to protect patients and staff during violent or threatening incidents.
• Reporting and Administration: assisting in preparing claims reports, managing inquest data audits, attending committees, and supporting complaint and incident report reviews, alongside developing operational procedures for efficient inquest management.

Qualifications

• Must be a qualified solicitor, Legal Executive, or Barrister admitted to practice in England and Wales, with relevant post‑qualification experience.
• Educated to degree level with the LPC or equivalent qualification.
• Significant specialist work experience in inquest management within an NHS Trust or similar environment.
• Significant leadership experience, with excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of audiences and establish credibility quickly.
• Ability to analyse and process highly complex facts and information in respect to clinical negligence claims and devise appropriate management strategies.
• Previous experience working in health and social care law, beyond the essential NHS claims and inquest management background.
• Experience working in a public sector, legal, or insurance environment, especially at a senior level in a large, complex and dynamic organisation.
• Demonstrated experience in staff management, training, teaching, setting objectives, and performance management, including holding people to account.
• Knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act, Mental Health Act, and other associated general advice matters.

About Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

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, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. 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.