Legal Support Specialist

Job overview

Full time – 37.5 hours per week | On-site presence essential

Are you looking for a rewarding role at the heart of patient safety, quality, and justice? Join Dorset HealthCare’s Clinical Legal Services Team and play a vital role in supporting the Trust to meet its legal and regulatory responsibilities while improving learning and outcomes across services.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to work within a dynamic and supportive team, contributing to the effective management of inquests and clinical negligence claims. You will play a key role in ensuring the Trust responds professionally, compassionately and in line with national requirements.

What we’re looking for

We’re seeking a highly organised, detail-focused professional with excellent communication skills and the ability to work sensitively across a range of complex and sometimes challenging situations. You’ll be comfortable engaging with clinicians, senior leaders and external stakeholders, bringing a collaborative, solutions-focused approach and you will have a knowledge of NHS Resolution in management of Clinical Negligence Claims and Inquest work.

Main duties of the job

Lead and manage a caseload of inquests and clinical negligence claims, supporting the delivery of a high-quality Clinical Legal Services function

Conduct thorough preliminary investigations into incidents, claims and inquests involving the Trust

Work collaboratively with clinical teams to ensure learning is identified and embedded, strengthening quality and patient safety

Ensure full compliance with NHS Resolution (NHSR) requirements and guidelines

Maintain accurate and up-to-date records, providing clear oversight of legal activity and organisational risk

Support the Trust to meet its legal, regulatory and governance obligations with confidence and professionalism

Please note visa sponsorship for this role is unfortunately not available. Ensure you hold valid right to work in the UK and will not require sponsorship if successful.

Employment in this post requires an Standard Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which the Trust will cover the cost of.

Previous applicants need not apply and please note we are not at this time able to offer support with SQE qualifications

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

We understand that AI can be a useful tool when completing your application. However, we are seeing an increasing over-reliance of AI tools, which can negatively affect your application as it reduces a candidate’s individuality, and makes it difficult for us to gain a clear and authentic understanding of your experience, skills, and in turn your suitability for the role.

All submissions must be truthful and if you do use AI, it should only be used to enhance your application and not create your supporting statement in its entirety. Your supporting statement should be in your own words and must accurately reflect your personal experience and achievements. Where we have concerns that AI has been used to generate content that misrepresents your experience and suitability for the role, we may withdraw your application.

As part of our vision to have a skilled, diverse and caring workforce, Dorset HealthCare offers support for people getting into work. We offer an employability service to support individuals with application writing, interview skills and other employment support. If you would like or know of anyone who would value this support, please do contact dhc.wideningparticipation@nhs.net

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.