Paralegal

The post holder will assist the legal team in ensuring the Trust is compliant with the Civil Procedure Rules, NHS Resolution reporting requirements and HM Coroner Rules and Regulations.

The post holder will be required to analyse claims and inquest data, and assist the Legal Services Manager in drafting reports to the Hospital Leadership Teams.

The post holder will provide advice and guidance on Trust policies relevant to claims management, coronial law and where appropriate assist on healthcare related legal matters under the direction of the Trust's General Counsel and Legal Services Managers., The post holder will be responsible for the management of a caseload of circa 100 cases of clinical negligence and employer/public liability claims including undertaking all preliminary investigations, ensuring that all claims are managed appropriately and efficiently and within required timescales.

The post holder will be required to work on their own initiative with the Legal Services Managers being available for advice if required. The post holder will support the Legal Services Managers in the management of complex clinical negligence claims and also assist in identifying any organisational learning to ensure lessons are learnt for the benefit of future patients and staff., To support the Legal Services Managers in the conduct of clinical negligence claims, including an initial review and synopsis of the case, provide advice on additional evidence required and to provide administrative support as necessary.

To be responsible for an individual caseload of low value clinical negligence claims managing from start to finish, including the preliminary investigations, gathering of evidence, identification of relevant factual witnesses and providing a preliminary report to the Legal Services Managers advising on strategy and next steps.

To assist the team in ensuring that all new claims are reviewed, that they provide sufficient information relating to allegations of negligence in accordance with the relevant Pre-Action Protocols, that a file is created and the claim is entered onto the claims database (DATIX) and that checks are made to identify if there are previous complaints/internal investigations. Where necessary, to liaise with the Claimant solicitors to obtain sufficient information to ensure compliance with the pre-action protocol and to enable an internal investigation to be undertaken, if required.

To set up new cases on DATIX, obtaining medical records, liaising with the complaints and investigations team to identify any complaint/incident investigation, reviewing medical records and identifying factual witnesses and general case management as requested by the Trust's General Counsel and Legal Services Managers.

To assist in the review of evidence before it is disclosed to the Coroner, identifying if any further evidence is required and highlighting any issues or concerns to the Trust's General Counsel and Legal Services Managers.

To support the Trust's General Counsel and Legal Services Managers in ensuring the smooth organisation of complex inquests and facilitating the provision of medical records and information to HM Coroners Office and/or panel solicitors.

To support the Legal Services Managers in dealing with requests for medical records by Merseyside and Cheshire police forces, along with obtaining of statements from relevant healthcare professionals.

With respect to ex-gratia claims, to manage these claims in accordance with the Trust's Ex-Gratia Claims SOP. To be responsible for the management of these claims from first receipt, up to the stage of making a decision on liability. This will involve liaising with the claimant directly, Trust staff as part of the investigation process, and the Trust's General Counsel so that decisions on liability can be reached.

To be responsible for and manage the Legal Services Clerk on a day-to-day basis., The Trust is committed to promoting a healthy work-life balance and achieve fair, equitable and consistent practice. We welcome flexible working requests and will consider a variety of flexible working arrangements from day one of your employment. Not all roles are suitable for every flexible working opportunity all of the time. Flexible working options may include reduced hours, compressed hours, fixed shifts, time back in lieu and home working.

The Trust is committed to promoting equality and diversity; we value the contribution of individual talent, skills, knowledge and experience and aim for a workforce demography representative of the local community. We encourage applicants from the following groups that are currently under-represented in our workforce black, Asian and minority ethnic, lesbian, gay, bisexual and Transgender (LGBTQ+), disabled, male and age 16-24.

Trust policy requires that the cost of submitting & processing the successful applicant/s DBS application be recovered via salary deduction following start in post. The amount of £18+£5 (standard disclosure) or £38+£5 (enhanced disclosure) will be deducted from salary, in manageable monthly instalments for up to 3 months following commencement of employment. Bank posts require upfront payment.

From April 2017, Skilled visa applicants and their adult dependant(s) will be required to provide a criminal record certificate from each country they have lived in consecutively for 12 months or more in the past ten years.

Applicants requiring sponsorship may wish to determine the likelihood of obtaining sponsorship for this position by assessing themselves against the criteria on the gov.uk website - https://www.gov.uk/check-uk-visa.

This organisation has a zero-tolerance approach to the abuse of children, young people and vulnerable adults. All staff must ensure they adhere to the organisations safeguarding children and adults' policy and comply with the Local Safeguarding Children and Adult Board procedures.

Staff should be mindful of their responsibility to safeguard children and adults in any activity performed on behalf of the organisation in line with the requirements of statutory guidance and legislation.

All employees (and volunteers)are expected maintain their safeguarding knowledge and skills by completing mandatory safeguarding training which includes understanding and recognising the signs of abuse and neglect and taking appropriate action.

As an organisation, we have adopted the Merseyside Domestic abuse workplace scheme which supports our staff who are experiencing Domestic Abuse /any forms of sexual violence.

• Educated to degree level or equivalent, Knowledge of the Civil procedure rules and pre-action protocols, Experience of working within the NHS, Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills with the ability to deal with all enquiries in a tactful, efficient and sympathetic manner.


• Strong workload organisation and management skills


• Ability to work well to deadlines


• Ability to deal with frequent and unplanned or unexpected interruptions and consequent reprioritisation of tasks, Understanding of the principles of investigations/claims management, root cause analysis techniques and clinical governance


• Written - experience in drafting standard letters, internal communications, technical reports. Able to present matters in a logical way using the appropriate content, language and style for the audience


Desirable criteria


• Knowledge of the areas relevant to legal healthcare practic, Displays a high standard of personal integrity


• Flexible and adaptable to changing workload/priorities


• Key team player
  
  Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust was created on 1 October 2019 following the merger of two adult acute Trusts, Aintree University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and the Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals NHS Trust.


The merger provides an opportunity to reconfigure services in a way that provides the best healthcare services to the city and improves the quality of care and health outcomes that patients experience.

The Trust runs Aintree University Hospital, Broadgreen Hospital, Liverpool University Dental Hospital and the Royal Liverpool University Hospital.

It serves a core population of around 630,000 people across Merseyside as well as providing a range of highly specialist services to a catchment area of more than two million people in the North West region and beyond.