About this role
Job summary
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust is looking for an exceptional legal leader to become our next Director of Legal Services. This is a rare opportunity to lead a highly respected in-house legal function, working alongside executive colleagues, clinicians and external partners to ensure the Trust receives outstanding legal advice while using learning from legal cases and inquests to improve the quality and safety of care.
This is far more than a traditional legal management role.
You'll be the Trust's principal legal expert, providing strategic advice to the Trust Board and senior leaders across a broad range of healthcare law. You'll lead our response to complex clinical negligence claims, represent the Trust at Coroners' Inquests, oversee High Court and Court of Protection applications as required, and build strong relationships with organisations including NHS Resolution, Coroners, external legal advisers and partner organisations.
Just as importantly, you'll lead a talented team and help shape the future of legal services within one of the country's largest NHS organisations. Using insight from claims, inquests and legal activity, you'll identify themes, influence organisational learning and help improve patient safety across the Trust.
Please note interviews are proposed for week commencing 28th September (date to be confirmed).
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be responsible for leading and managing all aspects of the Legal Services Department, ensuring that there is a high performing, effective legal service that delivers best practice Trust-wide and when engaging with external organisations. They will provide strategic leadership and direction for the team to maximise learning and quality improvement in line with the Trust's long-term strategy. They will have overarching responsibility and accountability for all work carried out in the Legal Services Department.
We're looking for a qualified solicitor with significant senior-level experience, ideally within healthcare or another highly regulated environment. You'll bring outstanding technical legal expertise, excellent judgment and the credibility to advise at Board level on highly complex and sensitive issues. You'll also be an experienced leader, able to inspire your team, build influential relationships and drive continuous improvement.
At UHCW, improvement is part of who we are. We are committed to continually improving the quality of care we provide and the way we work. You'll play a key role in that journey.
If you're looking for a role where your legal expertise can genuinely influence organisational strategy, improve patient outcomes and make a lasting difference, we'd love to hear from you.
About us
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the UK.
We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.
Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.
We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence designated organisation - please click the link for further details about this prestigious award. Pathway To Excellence - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (uhcw.nhs.uk)
By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.
The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.
Job description Job responsibilities
Strategic
To work with, and advise the Executive Director of Governance and Assurance in respect to the long term strategic planning of Legal Services at the Trust, using specialist knowledge of the law and best practice. To deputise for the Executive Director of Governance and Assurance as required, including attendance and the provision of advice at Chief Officer Group, Trust Board and Board Committees. Operational
To have final professional and managerial responsibility for all advice given within the Legal Services Department. To act as the legal expert for the Trust, managing all aspects of the Legal Services Department, providing legal advice across a broad range of areas including clinical negligence, Coroners Inquests, Insurance, employers and public liability, consent, Powers of Attorney, Wills and other healthcare law issues. To ensure that the Legal Service provided is effective and provides value for money for the Trust. To monitor and scrutinise all legal activity and spend across the Trust to develop a clear understanding of the needs of the Trust and costs involved, making recommendations where necessary to rationalise services. To be responsible for the management of all claims and inquest within the Trust, receiving, monitoring and ensuring compliance with the reporting and handling of such matters; analysing complex and conflicting information and seeking clinical input into clinical negligence claims. To liaise with external stakeholders on legal matters, including formal negotiations to secure the most advantageous outcome for the Trust. To represent the Trust at court and Coroners Inquests, providing support and guidance to Trust staff that may be called to give evidence and analysing/interpreting evidence in order to make decisions on the management of the inquest. To act as a confident advocate, including the ability to examine and cross-examine witnesses, present evidence and make submissions/representations to the Coroner on relevant law, as necessary, in the Coroners Court and before a jury. To understand the medical complexities of each case in conjunction with senior clinicians and recognise potentially problematic areas, both clinically and legally, which may require further investigation and reporting for the purposes of the inquest. To be accountable for ensuring that the Trust makes an application to the High Court and Court of Protection in cases where legal protection is required for the Trust and its staff to avoid civil and criminal liability. To ensure that the Legal Services Department acts with the appropriate level of urgency, sensitivity and responsibility, in preparation of High Court/Court of Protection applications. This will involve analysis and interpretation of highly complex legal principles and application of these to complex factual matrices and negotiating and advising (involving comparison of a range of outcome options) on the resolution of these highly contentious matters, bearing in mind the desired outcome for the Trust. For further details please see the attached job description.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
oEducated to Masters level in legal practice oA qualified and practising solicitor. oSignificant post-qualification experience successfully managing a substantial case load, advance specialist knowledge, expertise and experience in this field or similar. oEvidence of SRA-required ongoing continued professional development oAwareness of national and local policy, legislation and regulations and the latest developments in healthcare law
Desirable
oLeadership qualification / training oProject management training / qualification
Experience Essential
oExperience of managing, leading and building teams oSignificant experience advising at a senior level on the full range of health and/or regulatory law issues oDemonstrate extensive experience of delivering across an organisation oExperience of undertaking advocacy in court and/or at inquests. (NB The post holder must have rights of audience to allow them to appear before Coroners and Judges.) oExtensive experience of analysing highly complex information and producing reports to tight deadlines. Experience presenting this information within a large, complex organisation. oExperience developing and delivering training on a variety of legal topics to a wide range of recipients. oExtensive experience of managing sensitive issues within sometimes hostile or emotional situations. oWide range of experience of working under pressure to agreed time-scales. oExperience of working with and effectively communicating highly complex information with a range of external stakeholders including (but not limited to) NHSR, panel and external solicitors, the Coroner and his office, members of the public, patients/Claimants and the police.
Knowledge Essential
oSpecialist legal knowledge across a wide range of legal disciplines oAppreciation of the context of in house NHS legal services regulation and legislation and the context of how they apply within organisations.
Skills Essential
o Ability to demonstrate strategic vision as well as a track record of leading a team through a change process. oEvidence of resilience and diplomacy to lead and support change within the service oDemonstrable skills in planning over the short, medium and long term, with the ability to constantly assess, adjust plans and resource requirements accordingly. oAbility to provide clear and informative reporting information in relation to the Trust's legal position, cases and risks. oDemonstrated capabilities to manage own workload and make informed decisions in the absence of required information, working to tight and often changing timescales. oExcellent analytical and organisational skills. oAbility to make difficult decisions autonomously, when required, on challenging, sensitive and complex matters.
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours Essential
oMust be able to demonstrate behaviours consistent with Trust values and behaviours oApplicants applying for job roles with managerial responsibility will be required to demonstrate evidence of promoting equal opportunities through work experience
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Employer details Employer name University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Address UHCW NHS Trust
Coventry
CV2 2DX
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.jobsatuhcw.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)