Skip to main content

This site is independent of the NHS and the Department of Health.

Please wait, loading

Job summary

Main area
Claims Officer
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 5
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
382-COR04-25
Employer
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
Town
Blackpool
Salary
£29,970 - £36,483 pa
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
08/07/2025 23:59
Interview date
28/07/2025

Employer heading

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Claims Officer

NHS AfC: Band 5

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire, with services covering the local authority areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The Trust is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) supporting a population of around 1.6 million people.

We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. Plus, we provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries.

We welcome and encourage application from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining healthy home-life balance.  Working patterns such as: part time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored. 

 


Job overview

We are looking for a highly organised individual with excellent verbal and written communication to join the legal team at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals. A professional manner and strong interpersonal skills are vital, with the ability to build and maintain good relationships with individuals at all levels.

You will take an active role in supporting the processing of potential claims by conducting preliminary investigations into allegations and small claims, ensuring there is a thorough and precise examination of each case.

You will also manage the day-to-day operations of litigation claims, including Clinical Negligence, Employer Liability, and Public Liability Claims. Provide essential "In-house" legal advice, contributing significantly to our legal team's success.

 

 

Please note - the proposed interview date for this vacancy may change.

 

 



Main duties of the job

To assist in supporting the processing of potential claims and take responsibility for carrying out preliminary investigations into such allegations and in conducting investigations into small claims. 
To conduct the day-to-day management of litigation claims (Clinical Negligence, Employer and Public Liability Claims), and “In house” legal advice.

In the absence of the Legal Services Manager seek clarification of legal advice from Deputy Director of Quality Governance, the Trust Solicitors or National Health Service Resolution (NHSR) where appropriate on clinical negligence case management.
To assist the Legal Services Manager inquest funding application and to evaluate risk management issues arising from the above claims. 
In the absence of the Inquest Manager provide advice, support, and education to staff on medico-legal matters including Coroner’s inquests and other Court proceedings.

In the absence of the Head of Legal Services & Claims, you will seek clarification of legal advice from Trust Solicitors or the National Health Service Resolution (NHSR) on clinical negligence case management.

It will be your responsibility to assist the Legal Services Manager to evaluate risk management issues arising from claims. You will provide advice, support, and education to staff on medico-legal matters.

 

Working for our organisation

Vision - to improve the lives of people who live, work and volunteer on the Fylde Coast and beyond.

 Mission - To deliver safe, effective, sustainable care for everyone, every day.

 Values - The Trust’s values "Caring, Safe and Respectful" help to represent the culture of the Trust and to communicate who the Trust is and how they do things. They also play an important part in encouraging people to come and work and be part of the Trust themselves.

 Our Five-Year Strategy 2022-2027

 In January 2022 we invited staff, patients, carers, the local community, and key partners to be involved in the development of our 2022-2027 strategy.

Following this engagement, we developed the strategy to clearly indicate our vision - to improve the lives of people who live, work and volunteer on the Fylde Coast and beyond. The approach we took to do this was key and shows that we are committed to listening to our staff and actively engaging patients in how we deliver safe, effective, sustainable care for everyone, every day.

Together, our engagement community told us what’s important to them:

  • Being an employer of choice.
  • Recruiting and retaining staff, especially from local areas.
  • Growing excellence through training, education, research and innovation.
  • Health promotion and prevention.
  • Improving our impact on the environment.
  • Creating safe, healthy environments to work and receive care in.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To assist in supporting the processing of potential claims and take responsibility for carrying out preliminary investigations into such allegations and in conducting investigations into small claims. 
To conduct the day-to-day management of litigation claims (Clinical Negligence, Employer and Public Liability Claims), and “In house” legal advice
In the absence of the Legal Services Manager seek clarification of legal advice from the Deputy Director of Quality Governance. the Trust Solicitors or National Health Service Resolution (NHSR) where appropriate on clinical negligence case management.
To assist the Legal Services Manager inquest funding application and to evaluate risk management issues arising from the above claims. 
In the absence of the Inquest Manager provide advice, support, and education to staff on medico-legal matters including Coroner’s inquests and other Court proceedings.

Person specification

Education and Qualification

Essential criteria
  • Educated to Degree or equivalent
  • Further relevant specialist postgraduate qualification (e.g. LLM in medical law) or equivalent experience or currently working as a health care claims handler/advisor.
Desirable criteria
  • DoH, MHRA and all other relevant regulatory bodies

Experience and Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Recent experience of working in a Healthcare/legal services or related setting
  • Experience of building successful relationships with other senior managers as well as members of external organisations
  • In depth knowledge and good understanding of NHSLA claims handling procedures
  • Detailed knowledge of medical law and other aspects of law as may relate to and arise from healthcare.
  • Preparation and drafting of formal and complex documents.
  • Handling cases through Coroners Inquests
  • Experience in the field of clinical negligence
  • Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge
  • Knowledge of law and legal practice, acquired through degree in law
  • Further theoretical knowledge experience associated with NHS specific provisions, structures, and social care
Desirable criteria
  • Knowledge of Windows based computer packages & Datix claims handling system
  • Understanding of health care regulations as enforced by CQC
  • Post graduate diploma in legal practice and 2-year traineeship to masters level equivalent

Skills and Ability

Essential criteria
  • Strong and effective leadership skills
  • Excellent interpersonal skills including sensitivity to the needs of patients, staff of all disciplines and grades and other organisations.
  • Able to confidently represent the Trust in legal forums and discussions.
  • Ability to represent the Trust at court hearings and coroner’s inquests
  • Calm and understanding under pressure.
  • Clear written style explaining complex issues to professional and lay audiences
  • Flexible and able to adapt time management, ability to meet deadlines.
  • Able to work autonomously and within a team
  • Ability to solve problems, take responsibility and think independently.
  • Specialist legal skills
  • Highly developed investigative, interpretive, and analytical skills
  • Sound judgment and intellectual ability
  • Practical / common sense approach
  • Flexible and adaptable
  • A good communicator (and able to make presentations as and when required)
  • Strategic vision to develop and change services to make them fit for purpose in a changing/demanding environment
  • Organised, self-motivated, resourceful, and self disciplined

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareNo smoking policyDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - SilverDisability confident employer

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.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Angela Parfitt
Job title
Deputy Director of Quality Governance
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01253 955940
Apply online nowAlert me to similar vacancies