Head of Clinical Negligence
Job description
Job title: Head of Clinical Negligence
Job purpose:
The main purpose of the role is to lead the team to deliver the best outcome for conducting clinical negligence complaints and claims. This extends from providing preliminary advice on the phone and in writing, investigating concerns raised about professional members and responding and managing the claim appropriately, including running large cases.
Reports to: Director of Legal and Regulatory Services
Directorate:
This directorate assists, defends and represent members in a variety of forums including but not limited to the GOC, NHSE and High Court proceedings
Duties and key responsibilities
Drafting
- draft and write responses to patients and claimants’ solicitors
- advise and prepare responses to various bodies (NHS and others) for members.
Case preparation and management in relation to clinical claims
- prepare witness statements and organise bundles for trial
- organise and arrange meetings with members, experts and counsel
- instruct counsel, experts, liaise with other side’s counsel, collate evidence.
Case management and preparation for civil cases
- responsible for case correspondence
- instruct external solicitors, where appropriate, and liaise with them
- instruct experts and report to insurers and, at times, the AOP Board
- arrange conferences with counsel, experts and members
- advise on negotiating settlements and recovery of costs.
Advocacy
- attend at hearings and mediations on behalf of members.
Promote the work of the team
- Promote the work of the team where possible by ensuring relevant information is circulated within the team for possible wider circulation across the organisation
- Assist with the preparation, maintenance and delivery of know-how materials including articles, presentations, updates, amendments and additions to website where appropriate.
General responsibilities
- Be proactive in keeping up to date with developments affecting your work at hand and maintain and improve personal competence through continuous professional development
- Be proactive in keeping up to date with wider AOP activities and strategy
- Updating the Insurance Oversight Group (IOG) on a regular basis to flag upcoming issues/costs and to provide professional and legal insight which will be helpful in the smooth running of increasingly contentious or potentially large settlement cases
- Operate within organisational policies, codes of conduct and practice and work collaboratively with staff across the association
- Contribute to team meetings and organisational priorities, strategic goals and Performance targets
- Be flexible and carry out other associated duties as may arise, develop or be assigned within the broad remit of the post.
Person Specification
Experience
- Significant experience as a solicitor or barrister in the clinical negligence field, with at least 7 years PQE
- Relevant experience in all aspects of the legal workload
- Demonstrable experience of working at an executive level and contribution to strategic goals
- Experience of managing professional staff, delegating and monitoring the work of others to achieve objectives
- Clear evidence of sound judgement around the nature of this work during complex cases and also understanding boundaries which might pose a significant challenge.
Skills and abilities
- Strong negotiating skills
- Clear verbal communication skills face to face and on the phone including the ability to communicate clearly and assertively with a wide range of people
- Giving detailed and complex advice to clients in a clear and accessible format
- Analytical, prioritising and decision making skills
- Plan and manage a complex workload, meet deadlines and respond to unplanned demands
- Ability to read complex information, summarise and to present complex information
- Clear writing and drafting skills with emphasis on accuracy in letters, calculations, preparing cases, opinions, reports and correspondence
- Persuasion, negotiation, advocacy and diplomatic skills
- Proficiency in the use of Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook
- Highly organised with an ability to maintain effective record keeping systems
- Networking, partnership skills that are persuasive and influential of others
- Legal research skills to include summarising and tailoring advice to fit the members’ specific needs.
Knowledge
- How to assess risk management in cases
- Clear understanding of professional integrity and confidentiality in delivering advice
- Some experience within the medical sector desirable
Education/training
- A law degree or equivalent conversion course plus legal postgraduate course.
Personal attributes and other requirements:
- Self-motivated, ability to juggle priorities and work both alone and part of a team?
- Flexible and adaptable with the ability to work in a changing environment and manage multiple work activities, projects and deadlines
- Committed to achieving a high-quality service with good attention to detail
- Committed to personal development through actively developing this role and the team as a whole
- Confident and assertive whilst approachable and client friendly
- Ability to work as a team
October 2018