Deputy Head of Legal Services - Inquests

Oxford University Hospitals; Oxford; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading NHS teaching trust in Oxford is seeking an experienced legal professional to manage the Legal Services Department. You will deputise for the Head of Legal Services, oversee complex coroner’s inquests, and provide leadership to the legal team. The ideal candidate has a relevant legal degree and significant experience in healthcare law. This role offers a supportive environment focused on delivering compassionate excellence in patient care.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Comprehensive benefits package

Qualifications

• Proven experience in managing legal teams and services.
• Ability to handle complex legal matters and inquests.
• Strong understanding of healthcare law and patient safety.

Responsibilities

• Deputise for the Head of Legal Services.
• Conduct complex coroner’s inquests and act as legal advocate.
• Advise on clinical and non-clinical policies.

Skills

Leadership

Legal advocacy

Communication

Policy advising

Education

Relevant legal degree

Job description

Job overview

• 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;

Main duties of the job

Role and Leadership: The post involves deputising for the Head of Legal Services, managing the Legal Services Department and Subject Access Request Team, and directly line‑managing Claims and Inquest Officers, providing accountable leadership to the legal team.

Inquest Management: The role requires independently conducting a portfolio of complex coroner’s inquests, acting as legal advocate in court, liaising with coroners, instructing external legal representation, and preparing responses to Regulation 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.

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.

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.