Address An exciting opportunity has arisen for a keen, enthusiastic, highly motivated Solicitor with Court of Protection experience to join the Legal Services team at North Bristol NHS Trust. We are looking for a Senior Solicitor – Court of Protection Specialist to support the Associate Director & Head of Healthcare Legal Services in the running and development of the growing in-house legal service and in the delivery of outstanding healthcare and patients’ experience.
We price ourselves on handling our Court of Protection work in-house, directly instructing Counsel and achieving significant cost savings for the Trust. We are looking for a Solicitor to further develop the in-house legal services Court of Protection provision, to include training staff and managing a caseload of Court of Protection matters. There will also be opportunities to develop knowledge and expertise in our other core areas of work: - inquests, claims (clinical negligence, employer’s liability and public liability) and deliver healthcare legal advice across a broad range of areas.
As an organisation we offer opportunities for training and development, access to the NHS Pension Scheme, NHS discount, as well as access to onsite wellbeing and childcare facilities.
Please do contact us if you have any questions about this exciting opportunity.
The successful candidate will be expected to manage their own caseload of Court of Protection cases with minimal supervision (e.g. serious medical treatment cases, disputes around capacity and/or best interests) and be committed to developing the in-house Court of Protection provision, to include training of staff.
The successful candidate will also preferably have experience in one of our other core areas of work: - claims, inquests and healthcare legal advice and/or be interested to develop expertise and undertake work in these areas.
The role will report to the Associate Director & Head of Healthcare Legal Services and provides an excellent opportunity to enhance your skills and knowledge across a broad portfolio of cases and advisory work, with a particular focus on Court of Protection work.
North Bristol NHS Trust is one of the largest acute trusts in the South West of England. NBT is a National Health Service Trust, providing hospital and community healthcare services to Bristol, South Gloucestershire, and North Somerset.
Southmead Hospital is a designated major trauma centre, as well as a regional referral centre for renal medicine, urology, vascular and transplant surgery, neurology and neurosurgery.
Develop further the in-house legal services Court of Protection provision, to include training staff and managing a caseload of Court of Protection matters.
Attend and undertake advocacy in the Court of Protection, at the Coroner’s Court and other ad hoc advocacy, and initiate High Court applications on healthcare matters.
Provide advice and support to staff on a wide range of healthcare advisory matters, in particular advice relating to mental capacity, mental health, Court of Protection, consent, advance directives and enduring and lasting powers of attorney.
Handle cases relating to other core areas of work (aside from Court of Protection), including claims (clinical negligence, public liability, employer’s liability), inquests and healthcare legal advice.
Comply with relevant legislation and supporting Codes of Practice/Court Rules, the NHS Resolution Reporting Guidelines and Coroner’s Rules and Regulations.
Provide high quality reporting, data analysis (e.g. relating to claims, inquests, healthcare advice, GIRFT data) and legal updates to divisions and specialities to feedback on lessons learnt and ensure improvements to patient safety from work undertaken within in-house legal services.
Supervise and develop junior members of the legal services team.
Support the Associate Director of Legal Services in the running and development of the growing in-house legal service and in the delivery of outstanding healthcare and patients’ experience.
The role provides flexible working, working from home between 2 to 3 days per week.
