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Job summary

Main area
Legal Services
Grade
Band 7
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday)
Job ref
272-7508703
Employer
Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Doncaster Royal Infirmary
Town
Doncaster
Salary
£47,810 - £54,710 Pro Rata Per Annum
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
24/11/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Doncaster and Bassetlaw Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Healthcare Solicitor

Band 7

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Legal Team within the Trust. We are seeking a legally qualified professional with experience in handling a mixed caseload of contentious healthcare-related matters. This role will provide expert legal and practical advice across all aspects of healthcare law, demonstrating high-level analytical and judgement skills.

This role is integral to ensuring that inquests,  employer’s liability, public liability, and clinical negligence claims, are managed effectively and in accordance with the Trust’s Policies, NHS Resolution Scheme Rules, Civil Procedure Rules, Pre-Action Protocols, and Coroners Rules.

The postholder will play a key role in minimising financial, reputational, and operational risks to the organisation. Reporting to the Trust Healthcare Solicitor.

The successful candidate will demonstrate strong advocacy skills and will represent the Trust at Coroner’s Court hearings across its geographical footprint. 

Main duties of the job

Provide expert legal advice across healthcare law, including consent, capacity, confidentiality, and end-of-life decisions. Support clinical and operational teams by interpreting legislation and briefing senior leaders on sensitive legal matters.

Manage inquests and litigation, including clinical negligence and personal injury claims, ensuring compliance with NHS Resolution protocols and legal frameworks. Represent the Trust at Coroner’s Court and prepare staff for hearings.

Advise on court applications, prepare legal documentation, and assess implications for the Trust. Monitor external legal counsel usage and contribute to policy development and governance reporting.

Deliver legal training, supervise junior staff, and support national learning initiatives. Liaise with police and security teams on investigations and legal actions to protect staff and patients.

Lead the Legal Department, overseeing performance, recruitment, wellbeing, and budget management. Collaborate with Patient Safety to identify risks and embed learning across the Trust.

Working for our organisation

DBTH is one of Yorkshire’s Leading acute trusts, serving a population of more than 440,000.  Our services are based over three main hospital sites and several additional services employing over 7,000 colleagues.   

At DBTH we have a comprehensive framework of behaviours that guide us in our daily working lives, these form the DBTH Way.  We pride ourselves on our commitment to the values of We Care and now the DBTH Way builds upon these foundations, providing further clarity on what it means to embody these values in our everyday interactions.   

As an organisation that supports flexible working, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement. If it works for the service, we will do our best to make it work for you.

As an equal opportunities employer, we encourage applicants from all sectors of the community, particularly from under-represented groups including those with disabilities, members of our ethnic minorities and LGBTQ+ communities.

We offer a range of benefits to support our people including:
•    Extensive range of learning opportunities
•    NHS Pension Scheme
•    Generous holiday entitlement in line with Terms & Conditions
•    Comprehensive health and wellbeing support 
•    NHS Car Lease schemes and a range of salary sacrifice scheme
•    Discounts on restaurants, getaways, shopping and finance through external providers.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please see attached to the advert a job description and person specification for further details. Please ensure you read this document carefully. 

Please note, if your application is successful you will be required to present original certificates of qualifications that are listed in the person specification under essential. 

Certificate of sponsorship

Applications from individuals who require a Skilled Worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applicants. For further information and to check your eligibility for this post please following the link UK Visas and Immigration - GOV.UK. Please note that from April 9th 2025, band 2 & 3 entry roles are no longer eligible for sponsorship. 

Person specification

Knowledge & Experience

Essential criteria
  • Strong technical expertise within the area of Healthcare law including; litigation, inquests and general healthcare advice, derived from specialist expertise in the healthcare sector
  • Experience of dealing with complex clinical negligence claims.
  • Maintain up to date knowledge of legal developments and case law.
  • Strong analytical and problem solving skills.
  • Analyses legal principles and facts to derive technically sound strategies for complex cases; and also to inform decision making up to Board level.
  • Excellent drafting skills and experience of preparing inquest cases including supporting witnesses and drafting witness statements.
  • Strong advocacy skills including the ability to question witnesses, present complete legal submissions in court and regularly attend court.
  • Experience of managing own caseload and delegating work at an appropriate level to others
  • Knowledge and understanding of professional standards and requirements
  • Providing technical guidance and working effectively within a team and alonecitors Regulation Authority).

Personal Attributes & Skills

Essential criteria
  • Able to present and receive highly complete, highly sensitive information within a multi-professional team.
  • Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills.
  • Highly developed negotiation skills with the ability to be authoritative and persuasive.
  • Excellent interpersonal skills.
  • Ability to provide clear and appropriate legal advice within tight deadlines.
  • Ability to maintain and respect confidentiality (information governance, data protection, freedom of information).
  • Commitment to continuous improvement.
  • Ability to manage sensitive issues, engineer Trust and develop and maintain constructive relationships with staff at all levels within the Trust.
  • Demonstrate organisational and planning skills with the ability to assess and adjust plans as required.
  • Strong organisational and management skills with a methodical approach in all aspects of work and the ability to act independently.
  • Ability to deal with challenging situations in a formal setting
  • Produce timely, accurate written/electronic records and documents when required.
Desirable criteria
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Qualifications & Training

Essential criteria
  • Degree in Law (or other degree with completion of relevant conversion course)
  • Qualified Solicitor with a current Practising Certificate (issued by Solicitors Regulation Authority)
  • Devises and provides learning and development to other professionals from a non-legal background.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Race CodeVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyMenopause Friendly EmployerAge positiveInvestors in People: GoldImproving working livesMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.We offer Wagestream - A financial wellbeing benefit which lets you access your pay as you earn it.Disability confident employerArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

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
Mr Ian Sprakes
Job title
Trust Solicitor
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01302 648073
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