Medico Legal Advisor

The successful candidate will be expected to endorse and promote the objectives set out as part of AvMA’s five year strategic plan.

Lawyers Service

• Providing high quality services to our lawyers including identifying and recommending appropriate medical experts to clinical negligence solicitors; maintaining and developing the medical expert database. Routinely considering the Experts’ Protocol and ensuring that it remains relevant and fit for purpose.

Inquest Service

• Assessing cases for eligibility for AvMA’s pro bono Inquest Service according to AvMA’s criteria.
• Preparing cases for the coroner’s court to include sorting medical records; liaising with bereaved families by phone and in writing; researching medical literature; taking and preparing initial statements; liaising with the Coroner’s officer; securing appropriate disclosure documents; instructing counsel; assisting with preparation of bundles of documents for the hearing. Identifying general and specific patient safety issues; considering need for Prevention of Future Death Reports and or Action Plans.
• Attendance at pre-inquest hearings and inquest hearings with counsel and the family. This may involve travel and overnight stays. Out-of-pocket expenses are paid. Although overtime is not payable, time out of the office is recoverable in accordance with AvMA Time Off in Lieu (TOIL) policy. Attendance may also be required to attend partial remote hearings via Teams/Zoom
• Capturing and recording key data from inquests, securing feedback from clients.
• Working with Medico Legal Team Leader to ensure appropriate publicity on case outcomes where appropriate to include obtaining relevant client consents and that the case is written up for potential publication in AvMA’s Lawyer Service Newsletter ​​​​​​​

Advice & Information Service

• Providing advice, support and information to the public through written casework. This involves helping people affected by medical accidents to obtain an understanding of what has happened to them, their rights and the most appropriate option(s) for resolving their concerns and meeting their needs including referrals to panel solicitors.

Helpline

• Providing advice and assistance to the public on AvMA’s specialist helpline. Training will be given and in due course assisting the Helpline Development Officer to train helpline volunteers.

Other Duties

• To endorse and promote the objectives set out as part of AvMA’s five year strategic plan: AvMA's 5 Year  Strategic Plan
• Junior Certification: Promoting the Certificate Competence Scheme (junior lawyer scheme) to include assessing applications received
• Feedback from clients: Working on the direction of ML Director and ML Team Leader to secure maximum feedback from clients on inquest and advice and information services
• Website: Helping to keep AvMA self-help leaflets up to date on the website
• Occasional representation of AvMA at meetings and events
• Conference: To help develop AvMA’s annual conference programme and other conferences as appropriate.