Head Inquiry Lawyer | NHS England

The New NHS England (comprising NHS England and its incorporated legacy bodies TDA, Monitor, NHS Digital and HEE) is currently responding to the C-19 UK Public Inquiry and the Thirlwall Inquiry.
The Inquiry team has been established, merged, and now expanded and re-organised to lead this co-operation, response and support for witnesses across the new organisation. It is possible more Inquiries will come into the programme.
The team is organised into four domains for the purposes of key responsibilities and workstreams. (But day to day work may be organised into packages and see people using their existing skills in a matrix way, as well as trying out new skills and experiences.)
The domains are:
• Operations and Disclosure – ensures we identify, retrieve, search and store years of records, then work to process them into a disclosure environment(s) with specified platforms to the Inquiry; and, track all our work
• Response – owns the approach and execution of our organisational story
• Support – ensures we are looking after witnesses and responding to lessons and reports
• Legal – a blended team of internal and external lawyers
As the Head Lawyer, the post holder will work as part of a dynamic team delivering an effective legal and governance service supporting NHS England Boards, committees, CEOs, corporate and regional directors, directorates and teams to prepare and respond to the Inquiries. This role may also support the work of the wider Inquiry team where necessary.
In April 2023, NHS England, NHS Digital, and Health Education England merged to create a new, single organisation to lead the NHS in England. This new NHS England is designed to create a simpler, smaller, high performing, organisation that leads the NHS more effectively and is a better place to work. Speaking with one voice to the service.
The new NHS England board have set out the top-level purpose for the new organisation to lead the NHS in England to deliver high-quality services for all, which will inform the detailed design work and we will achieve this purpose by:
• Enabling local systems and providers to improve the health of their people and patients and reduce health inequalities.
• Making the NHS a great place to work, where our people can make a difference and achieve their potential.
• Working collaboratively to ensure our healthcare workforce has the right knowledge, skills, values and behaviours to deliver accessible, compassionate care
• Optimising the use of digital technology, research, and innovation
• Delivering value for money.
If you would like to know more or require further information, please visithttps://www.england.nhs.uk/ .
Working closely with colleagues in the Inquiry team to manage the input of advice principally into the Covid-19 Inquiry, (but over time and when needed, supporting the team’s other Inquiries) deputising for the Deputy Directors as required, the postholder will:
• Participate fully in the overall management and operations of the team as it pertains to the Inquiry programme, taking responsibility for specified areas of programme operations and for effectively managing an external team of lawyers.
• Provide professional leadership in the area of Inquiry expertise
• Support and prepare witnesses from start to finish including:  
-Legal support to develop core, factual narratives around key decisions and workstreams 
-Interview witnesses 
-Draft responses to Rule 9 requests i.e. statements and locate and review exhibits 
-Review evidence proposals and disclosures of third parties’ exhibits, prepare Rule 10 questions 
-Liaise with the Inquiry to ensure any reasonable adjustments for witnesses are in place 
-Attend hearings and escalate when required 
• Act as the face of the Legal team for the Covid-19 Inquiry, managing the relationship with National and Regional Directors and their offices and liaising directly with relevant functions on behalf of the Director to execute the programme’s strategy, and working as part of the virtual Inquiry hub alongside BAU teams 
• Participate fully in the overall management and operations of the entire Public Inquiry team to create a centre of excellence.   
• Support good inquiry readiness policy and operations and the wider work of the programme across NHS England, where legal expertise and support is required, including providing, supervising or securing the provision of expert legal advice, supporting policy makers to inform the development of effective strategies and policies, supporting proper decision-making and corporate governance arrangements, and supporting operational activities.
• Direct line management of lawyers as required, and management and supervision across matrix working and wider Inquiry team including external firms.
• Manage all necessary business and reporting returns, including planning and workforce returns and risk escalation requirements.
• Manage the programme Legal budget, including understanding thematic legal spend in allocated areas, ensuring the most appropriate and best value use of external law firms, scrutinising the legal costs process (including outsourcing of work, PO and uplift challenge & approval). Make recommendations for the procurement, selection, performance management/benchmarking and other issues for external legal advice.
You can find further details about the job, organisational structure, recruitment profile, expected outcomes and benefits information in the attached Job Description and other supporting documents.
Salary Progression
Applicants will commence at the bottom of Band 8d with a full-time starting salary of £83,571 with a pay step increase after 5 years’ service.
For posts based in Inner London, the above salaries will include the additional supplement of 20% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £5,132 per annum and a maximum payment of £7,746 per annum.
This is offered in accordance with NHS Terms and Conditions and is based on office location.
This advert closes on Sunday 3 Mar 2024