Solicitor/Legal Executive

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust; Cambridge; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

An exciting opportunity awaits at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust for a solicitor/legal executive/litigation executive. This role involves providing in-house legal services for healthcare litigation, requiring strong leadership and negotiation skills. The successful candidate will work part of a dynamic team in a supportive environment focused on improving health services.

Benefits

NHS Pension Scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Discounts available from retailers

Free DBS checks where required

Qualifications

• Professional qualification with relevant body registration required.
• Desirable experience in NHS Community or mental health services.
• Experience in incident investigation methodology beneficial.

Responsibilities

• Provide legal support and advice for healthcare-related legal issues.
• Draft legal documentation, conduct research, and attend court.
• Supervise junior legal team members.

Skills

Leadership

Negotiation

Influencing

Education

Solicitor in England and Wales

CILEX qualification

Job description

Thank you for your interest in joining us at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

We pride ourselves in striving to be an employer of choice.

Strategic Themes

Great Care

• Care based on what matters to people.
• Care provided at home or close to home.
• Improvement through learning, research and innovation.
• Prevention and alternatives to hospital.

Great Organisation

• Buildings that support health and wellbeing.
• Technology enabled care.
• Care teams are supported by responsive corporate services.
• Safe, efficient, effective and productive.

Great People

• A place people love to work and feel valued.
• Living our values with staff (all voices count).
• Attract, grow and develop talent.
• Leaders with compassion, who continuously learn and listen.

Great Partner

• Encourage and enable effective partnerships.
• Joined-up community services.
• Work with others to maximise workforce opportunities.
• Reduce our impact on the environment.

At the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important life is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s job share, part time or another flexible pattern. In addition, although the role advertised may have a ‘home’ office base indicated, we remain committed to supporting flexibility around workplace locations. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

The successful applicant will be an NHS employee and may therefore have contact with vulnerable service users. During the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been necessary to take significant steps to protect the health and safety of our staff, service users and those attending our sites. Unless exempt, we encourage and support staff to be vaccinated as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a solicitor/legal executive/litigation executive position at Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust.

If you are looking for a role where you can work as part of a small and dynamic team, providing a dedicated in-house legal service in response to healthcare litigation, clinical negligence, personal injury and staff claims, Inquests, Court of Protection and healthcare advice, this could be the opportunity for you.

This may be suitable for someone who has some legal work experience seeking a continuing development opportunity.

Please note this role is hybrid and will require the successful candidate to come into the office regularly and attend court appearance at short notice.

Main duties of the job

• The post holder will provide legal support and advice as part of a dedicated in-house legal service in response to healthcare litigation, clinical negligence, personal injury and staff claims, inquests, Court of Protection and healthcare advice.
• Undertake factual investigation of clinical and non-clinical claims.
• Draft legal documentation, including witness statements, undertake legal research of legislation and case law.
• Review evidence for and attend Coroner’s Court, initiate Court of Protection and High Court applications, if appropriate, on healthcare matters.
• Supervise junior members of the legal team
• Comply with the NHS Resolution’s Reporting Guidelines, manage Pre-Action Claims, and comply with the Coroner’s Rules and Regulations.
• Responsible for ensuring learning is identified across the Trust from inquests and claims
• Work with professional leads across the organisation to enable the Trust to demonstrate its compliance with national policies and standards, including those set by NHS Resolution, CQC, DHSC and any other relevant body.
• Support the Trust in improving quality and value of services.

Working for our organisation

We’re an NHS community and mental health provider Trust based in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We deliver community and hospital-based care to improve people’s physical and mental health. We also provide specialist support to people with dementia or a learning disability.

We are a people organisation and people matter to us. As part of the team, you’ll help support the health and wellbeing of the people who live and visit this beautiful part of the UK.

Over 4,000 people make up the Trust. This includes doctors, nurses, therapists, plus admin and support staff.

We work in people’s homes, in community clinics and bases. Some staff work from one of our 13 community hospitals. Our aspiration is to have great people, provide great care, be a great place to work and a great partner.

Approximately 568,000 people live her. A third of people who live in Cornwall are supported by acute hospital services in Devon. As a result, we also work closely with our partners in Devon. In the summer, and during other holidays lots of people choose to visit the area. This increase the numbers of people who use out services.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To view a detailed job description and person specification including the main responsibilities of this role please see ‘supporting documents’.

Person specification Education, Qualifications and Experience Essential criteria

• Professional qualification with relevant professional body registration (e.g. solicitor in England and Wales; Legal Executive/CILEX lawyer/or associate or graduate member with The Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEX)

Desirable criteria

• Experience of working in a relevant field in NHS Community or mental health services
• Experience and knowledge of incident investigation methodology (additional training will be provided relating to the PSIRF)

Knowledge and abilities Essential criteria

• Developed leadership, negotiation and influencing skills with the ability to motivate, challenge and engage individuals and teams

At Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust we are proud to prioritise the development of our people. To support this, the following opportunities are available:

• Career conversations and individual development plans for succession planning and talent management
• Protected CPD time for registered staff
• Access to a dedicated central development fund supporting CPD for all staff
• Leadership and Management development programmes
• Coaching and mentoring opportunities
• A full clinical induction programme for operational skills
• Access to a care certificate programme for our band 1-4 clinical staff
• A bespoke and robust preceptorship programme to support newly qualified staff
• Individual professional development programmes

Being part of a successful NHS Foundation Trust brings a portfolio of rewards and benefits for our staff. These include:

• Suite of health and wellbeing initiatives to support our colleagues physical and mental health
• Free access to individual HARP portfolios to support revalidation for nursing staff
• Free DBS checks where required
• Discounts available from retailers, UK hotels and main attractions
• NHS Pension Scheme
• Salary sacrifice car scheme
• Cycle to work scheme
• The Trust reimburses all application costs for staff eligible to apply for EU settlement status.

The Trust reserves the right to close this advert once a sufficient number of applications have been submitted. It is encouraged that you complete the application at your earliest convenience to avoid disappointment.

If you are successful at the shortlisting stage of the recruitment process you will be contacted via TRAC.jobs email regarding interview details.

Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust welcomes and values individuals with lived experience of mental or physical ill health joining our workforce. We aspire to have a culture that develops, promotes and supports lived experience roles - throughout the organisation.

If you are successful, you agree to Occupational Health accessing your health records from your current or previous employer to check the status of your inoculations and screening tests. Appointments are subject to full three year satisfactory references therefore please ensure you include correct contact details for your nominated referees including email addresses.

Any general recruitment queries, please contact our recruitment team on 01208 834644