Deputy Head of Legal Services - Inquests

Job overview

• To deputise for the Head of Legal Services in the management of the Legal Services Department and Subject Access Request Team and to directly line manager the Claims and Inquest Officers;
• To provide cross-cover for the duties of the Deputy Head of Legal Services -Claims, as required;
• To act as a role model and provide positive, professional and accountable leadership to the legal team;

Main duties of the job

*Role and Leadership: The post involves deputising for the Head of Legal Services, managing the Legal Services Department and Subject Access Request Team, and directly line managing Claims and Inquest Officers, providing accountable leadership to the legal team.

*Inquest Management: The role requires independently conducting a portfolio of complex coroner’s inquests, acting as legal advocate in court, liaising with coroners, instructing external legal representation, and preparing responses to Regulation 28 reports to ensure compliance and organisational learning.

*Patient Safety and Communication: Identifying and escalating patient safety risks from claims or inquests, and providing non-clinical information to patients and relatives about legal claims and inquest processes.

*Policy, Training, and Development: Advising on clinical and non-clinical policies, assisting in legal training development and delivery for staff, researching legal developments, leading inquest case management meetings, and supporting continuous professional development.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

*Healthcare Legal Advice: Providing expert legal advice on healthcare law including patient consent, capacity, confidentiality, safeguarding, and regulatory matters, and briefing senior management on sensitive legal issues with potential operational or reputational impact.

*Safeguarding Responsibilities: Liaising with safeguarding leads on care proceedings, providing advice on disclosure and statements, supporting staff giving evidence in family courts, and advising on complex legal issues related to Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.

*Police and Criminal Cases: Deputising in managing police requests for healthcare records and statements, ensuring compliance with GDPR and confidentiality, liaising with police and security, and advising on legal actions to protect patients and staff during violent or threatening incidents.

*Reporting and Administration: Assisting in preparing claims reports, managing inquest data audits, attending committees, and supporting complaint and incident report reviews, alongside developing operational procedures for efficient inquest management.