North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We are committed to providing services which embrace diversity and promote equality of opportunity. We offer a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants who meet our minimum selection criteria at each stage of the selection process. We will not tolerate discrimination on any of the following: gender, marital status, sexual orientation, race, colour, nationality, religion, age, disability, working pattern, caring responsibilities, trade union activity or political beliefs.
The Trust is currently under-represented in terms of staff from black and minority ethnic backgrounds. We encourage applications from all backgrounds to improve the diversity of our workforce and to better reflect the communities we serve to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place; every time.
The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy early if a large number of applications are received.
Due to the volume of applications received for our advertisements, we will only contact those candidates shortlisted for interview via email; we aim to do this within 4 weeks of the closing date. If you do not receive the email, it will be that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion. When applying for this position, it is essential that you read the job description and person specification fully. Please use the supporting information space to demonstrate your ability to undertake this role, drawing on your skills, knowledge and experience.
We also offer a range of excellent benefits including a pension scheme, up to 33 days Annual leave (exclusive of bank holidays), training and development opportunities, access to NHS discounts, Car Lease Scheme, Cycle to Work Scheme, NHS Mortgages and Childcare Vouchers.
Job overview
Complaints & Legal Services
Ladybridge Hall, Bolton or Estuary Point, Liverpool
Contract type & working pattern
Permanent, Full time – 37.5 hours per week
Salary
Band 8a
Speciality
Corporate Affairs
Main duties of the job
We are looking for a healthcare solicitor with claims and/or regulatory experience to join the NWAS Legal and Resolution team. Working under the supervision of the Head of Legal, Resolution and PALS with a high degree of autonomy, you will manage a mixed caseload of employers' liability, public liability and clinical negligence claims and Coroners’ inquests.
You will also represent and act as the Trust authority in formal legal proceedings in Civil courts and conduct advocacy in Coroners’ courts for contentious inquest hearings, as well as providing general legal and advisory services across the Trust.
Working for our organisation
North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust provides 24 hour, 365 days a year accident and emergency services to those in need of emergency medical treatment and transport.
Our highly skilled staff provide life-saving care to patients in the community and take people to hospital or a place of care if needed.
We also provide non-emergency patient transport services for those patients who require non-emergency transport to and from hospital and who are unable to travel unaided because of their medical condition or clinical need.
Alongside the other emergency services, we also work to ensure the safety of the public and treatment of patients in the event of a major incident.
We also deliver the NHS 111 service in the North West. NHS 111 replaced NHS Direct in 2013. This service was introduced to make it easier for people to access local NHS healthcare services in England. It provides non-emergency medical help fast, and is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please ensure that you have read the full Job description and Person Specification before applying for this post.
Interview/assessment dates TBC
Person specification
Qualifications and Education Essential criteria
* Law Degree, Legal Practice Course (LPC) or equivalent
* Qualified practising solicitor with post graduate diploma in legal practice
* Trained to masters level or equivalent
* Evidence of continued professional development
Skills and Abilities
Essential criteria
* Excellent communication skills and able to communicate highly contentious and sensitive legal information often in a hostile atmosphere
* Ability to take evidence from witnesses and present in court
* Ability to negotiate and advise on the settlement of claims
* Excellent facilitation and negotiation skills
* High quality report writing and legal statement drafting skills
* Ability to analyse, evaluate and summarise highly complex and/or contentious data
* Approachable and supportive, ability to work within a team
* Ability to work flexibly with occasional need to work unsocial hours
* Ability to travel regularly across the NW to meetings with client and to attend coroners court etc often at short notice
* Remain calm in a very busy environment
* Personal resilience – the role will involve reading about and hearing difficult and distressing situations on a daily basis e.g. non-accidental injury to children, vulnerable adults, child abuse, substance abuse, fatal accidents, both from a staff perspective and from a patient perspective
* High level of work organisation, self-motivation, drive for performance and improvement, and flexibility in approach and attitude
* Expected to be able to frequently concentrate intensely for prolonged periods of time - reading legal documentation, case papers, note taking, conducting examination and cross examination of witnesses in court or tribunal over a period of several days
* Required to spend sustained periods sitting still at a desk or in court
Knowledge and Experience
Essential criteria
* Knowledge of litigation and/or coronial law management
* Understanding of the NHS infrastructure and policy
* Knowledge of management of legal services within the NHS
* Understanding of ambulance service policies, procedures and strategy and of broader NHS/Ambulance issues
* Post qualification experience of managing complex, high profile and/or contentious cases
* Proven court advocacy experience
* Current and demonstrable evidence of managing large caseloads of inquests and/or claims
* Evidence of successfully providing high quality and responsive advice with a clear client focused approach, achieving innovative solutions
* Evidence of successfully leading, motivating and developing others
* Experience in allocating and supervising the work of junior legal colleagues
Values and Behaviours
Essential criteria
* Working together – demonstrate collaborative and inclusive working and challenge behaviour that is not inclusive or acceptable.
* Being at our best – professional and adaptable and takes pride in work.
* Making a difference – act with compassion, kindness and integrity towards everyone.
Any offer of employment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information, provide false or misleading information.
Should you be successful at interview stage successful candidates will receive a conditional offer of employment, this will be subject to the NHS Employment Checks Standards.
Right to work - You will be required to provide a valid right to work in the UK document. North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust are currently able to provide sponsorship for roles that identified under the Health and Care visa.
Reference checks - This will cover a minimum of a three year period and will include a request for the number of days and occasions of sickness absence covering a minimum two year period. In line with equality legislation, the earliest point at which we will ask health related questions is when an offer of employment has been made. Absences related to disability may be excluded from these considerations; consideration would be given as to what would be a reasonable attendance level, based on the information available. Absences related to pregnancy, maternity and/or gender reassignment will be excluded from these considerations. Detailed information on the NHS Employment Checks Standards is available on the NHS Employers website; search ‘employment checks’.
DBS Checks - If the post is subject to DBS disclosure, a charge will be made for this disclosure.
Occupational Health - You will require satisfactory medical clearance.
Whilst not a condition of employment, all staff are encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19 as this remains the best line of defence against COVID-19.
If you do not have regular access to your email please contact a member of the HR Hub Team on 0345 112 2018.
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