Head of Legal Services

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust; Crawley; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare organization in the UK is seeking a Head of Legal Services to provide expert legal advice on a broad range of healthcare-related matters. The successful candidate will manage complex legal issues and ensure compliance, supporting the Trust's Executive Team and operational leaders. Strong leadership and extensive experience in healthcare law are required. Benefits include a generous holiday entitlement, NHS Pension Scheme, and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

Option to join the NHS Pension Scheme

Minimum 27 days’ holiday

Personal and professional development opportunities

Access to NHS discounts

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in healthcare law, litigation, and inquest advocacy.
• Ability to manage complex caseloads and provide clear, strategic legal advice.
• Experience within the NHS or public sector is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead the legal management of coroners' inquests, including advocacy and witness support.
• Provide expert legal advice on healthcare law and related legislative areas.
• Liaise with patient safety teams to identify and act on risk from inquest investigations.

Skills

Healthcare law

Litigation

Inquest advocacy

Leadership

Communication

Analytical skills

Education

Qualified solicitor or barrister

Job description

Head of Legal Services Position Summary

As Head of Legal Services, you will provide expert legal advice across a broad range of healthcare‑related matters, including clinical negligence, coroners' inquests, personal injury claims, and complex ethical issues. You will act as a trusted advisor to the Trust’s Executive Team, senior clinicians, and operational leaders, ensuring legal compliance and supporting continuous improvement in patient safety and governance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the legal management of coroners' inquests, including advocacy and witness support.
• Provide expert legal advice on healthcare law, patient consent, capacity, confidentiality and related legislative areas.
• Oversee the conduct of clinical negligence and personal injury claims and litigation.
• Support staff across the Trust with legal guidance and training.
• Collaborate with governance, safety, and clinical teams to embed learning and improve practice.
• Line‑manage legal services staff, oversee the department budget and resource allocation.
• Liaise with patient safety teams and divisional quality and clinical leads to identify and act on risk from inquest investigations.
• Contribute to policy development and internal training, ensuring the organization learns from legal processes.
• Advisory responsibilities to Trust working groups and committees in policy implementation and compliance.

Qualifications

• Qualified solicitor or barrister.
• Extensive experience in healthcare law, litigation and inquest advocacy.
• Strong leadership, communication and analytical skills.
• Ability to manage complex caseloads and provide clear, strategic legal advice.
• Experience working within the NHS or public sector is desirable.

Benefits

• Option to join the NHS Pension Scheme.
• Minimum 27 days’ holiday each year, increasing after 5 years’ service.
• Personal and professional development and training opportunities.
• Salary sacrifice schemes for cars or push bikes.
• Access to occupational health and counselling services.
• Award‑winning wellbeing hub.
• Access to NHS discounts and other employee benefits.

Equality and Diversity Statement

South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust is committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can flourish. We actively support equality of opportunity for all staff and welcome applications from individuals of any age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief. We encourage people from under‑represented groups, including Black, Asian, minority ethnic and disabled applicants, to apply. The Trust will guarantee an interview to candidates with disability who meet the essential criteria specified. If you have a disability, we can make reasonable adjustments to ensure that any selection processes – including the interview – are fair and equitable.