Job vacancy: Legal Services Manager, East of England Ambulance Service Trust, Bedford

Job summary

Main area

Legal

Grade

NHS AFC: Band 8a

Contract

Fixed term: 0 days (End date 31.03.26)

Hours

Full time
Home or remote working

37.5 hours per week (N/A)

Job ref

247-SS-LSM-0126

Employer: East of England Ambulance Service Trust
Employer type: NHS
Site: Bedford HQ
Town: Bedford
Salary: £55,690 - £62,682 N/A
Salary period: Yearly
Closing: 20/01/2026 23:59

Legal Services Manager

NHS AFC: Band 8a

EEAST is a great place to work, great people, great career opportunities and a career that can take you anywhere. No two days are the same, if you are looking for a varied and supportive environment EEAST can offer you that and more!

Hear why our employees think it is such a great place to work:

- Great employee benefits: https://www.eastamb.nhs.uk/join-the-team/working-for-us/employee-benefits

- Our equality networks: https://www.eastamb.nhs.uk/about-us/equality-diversity-and-inclusion/our-equality-networks

- Our vision & values: https://www.eastamb.nhs.uk/about-us/our-vision-and-value

Before you apply, please visit our how to apply page for full guidance: https://www.eastamb.nhs.uk/join-the-team/working-for-us/how-to-apply

#Careerforlife

Main duties of the job

Coroners Inquests

Be accountable for the effective legal conduct of all inquests involving the Trust, including adherence to professional standards of all Legal staff and compliance with evidentiary and Coronial rules.

Legal Advice

To ensure the provision of the highest level of prompt and accurate expert legal advice by: Providing advice on matters including, but not limited to, patient consent, capacity, confidentiality, access to patient information, medical ethics, mental health law, trust law, small claims court issues, criminal law, dealings with the police, child protection, occupier’s liability, interpretation of relevant legislation, legal principles and case law.

Clinical Negligence Claims

Manage the conduct of all claims against the Trust with a view to protecting the Trust’s legal and reputational interests, by: Managing clinical negligence claims to ensure compliance with the relevant protocols, legislation and NHSR guidelines.

Personal Injury Claims

Provide expert legal advice with respect to, all personal injury claims against the Trust,

Ensuring compliance with the relevant protocols, legislation and NHSR guidelines.

General claims responsibilities

Promote opportunities to identify potential claims early and ensure the necessary risk management systems are in place to allow the Trust to defend the case with relevant information and evidence.

Undertake regular analysis of claims and inquests including trends, provide reports of analysis to the appropriate forums

Financial Management

Responsible for managing, monitoring and contributing to the annual budgetary planning for legal services.

Responsible for endorsing solicitor fee payments and NHSR contributions prior to sign off by the Chief Executive’s Office and the Deputy Director of Clinical Quality. Approving staff expenses.

Staff Management

To lead the legal services department ensuring that all Trust requirements relating to staff

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a thorough and comprehensive understanding of the role, including all its specific requirements and responsibilities, please consult the attached Job Description and Person Specification. This document provides an in-depth overview that will give you a clear and detailed picture of what the position entails.

Please note, should you be successful in your application, you will be required to undergo pre-employment checks, prior to receiving an unconditional offer, if full employment checks cannot be achieved (this will include existing and unserved disciplinary sanctions), then your offer may be withdrawn.

How to apply
Step 1 - Read the advert and the Job Description and Person Specification (attached)
Step 2 - Complete the Supporting Statement - Your statement needs to indicate how you meet each of the criteria contained within the Person Specification.
Step 3 - Complete the online application and upload your statement. Please note, CVs are not accepted.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Evidence of relevant law degree with minimum 3 years experience in related area.

Experience

Essential criteria

Advanced theoretical and practical knowledge within the specialised field of Health Law, including litigation, inquests and general advice on protection of interests of medical staff and organisations
Strong advocacy skills, including the ability to take evidence from witnesses, cross -examination, presentation of evidence and making complex legal submissions in courts.
Experience of managing staff and budgets.

Skills

Essential criteria

Able to communicate highly contentious, sensitive and complex information (both written and oral) often within an antagonistic atmosphere in order to provide a legal advisory service and associate specialist litigation.
Ability to plan and organise complex activities or programmes, requiring formulation and adjustments, including planning and preparation for legal hearings involving a number of witnesses over a considerable period of time and assisting in the development of long term service provision through advice to clients.
Able to make judgements in relation to legal practices and highly complex clinical negligence file with regard to negotiation and advising on the settlement of claims and litigation.

Desirable criteria

Ability to engender trust and to develop and maintain constructive relationships with staff at all levels within the Trust.

Personal Qualities

Essential criteria

Personal resilience when faced with exposure to information relating to distressing or emotional circumstances such as death, and injuries as a result of clinical negligence.
Autonomous decision making and ability to prioritise work within an environment with frequent conflicting demands and pressures.

Desirable criteria

Flexibility to work outside of normal office hours.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Candidates who require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the United Kingdom can determine the likelihood of obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship for this position by assessing their circumstances against the criteria specified on the Check if you need a UK visa - GOV.UK website. We encourage all applicants to review these criteria carefully to understand their eligibility for sponsorship.

References and Employment History: All references from current and previous employers, will be sought via their Human Resources Department and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and email address of the Human Resources Department and indicate your current/previous line manager and their departmental details.

All appointments will be subject to currently having a clean disciplinary record.

Please be advised that a No Smoking Policy is in operation throughout the Trust.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme - Under the Trust's commitment 'Positive about Disabled People', if you consider yourself as having a disability and you meet the minimum selection criteria for any post, you will get an automatic interview. By minimum selection criteria we mean that you must provide us with evidence in your application form which demonstrates the essential requirements as set out in the person specification and advertisement for a post.

We aim to represent and value the diversity of our local communities through our workforce and service provision. We therefore positively encourage applications, regardless of age, race, religion & belief, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, marriage & civil partnership, pregnancy & maternity or disability.

If you have a disability and wish to send in an alternative format of the application form please contact the Recruitment Team on 01234 243200

PLEASE NOTE - If you use a hotmail, msn or yahoo e-mail account, you will need to check your "junk" mail regularly as these e-mail providers may divert any communications straight in to your "junk" inbox.
You may wish to add any addresses featuring 'trac.jobs' to a safe list.

The Trust reserves the right to close this vacancy before the advertised closing date if a large number of applications are received. If you would like to apply for this position then please keep this information in mind when preparing your submission.

Please note that if you have not had a response from us after one month of submitting your application, you have not been shortlisted for interview.