Medico-Legal Officer

As University Hospitals Dorset we are a three site acute trust with 'university hospital' status through our partnership with Bournemouth University, working with an annual budget of £730m.

We offer highly regarded health services, employing some 10,000 staff. Our ambitious £500m transformation programme is well on the way to delivering state of the art facilities over the next two years to meet the current and future healthcare needs of the populations we serve.

In an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty with over seven miles of sandy beaches you'll find inspirational opportunities to achieve your perfect work/life balance. With the New Forest and the Purbecks on our doorstep, we're also less than three hours from London by road or train. The thriving towns of Poole, Bournemouth and Christchurch give way to idyllic villages and unspoilt landscapes just minutes from our hospitals.

We believe that having a diverse workforce, and allowing people to be themselves, is essential in ensuring we offer an inclusive, welcoming and productive place to work.

We especially welcome applications from minority groups in the community who may be underrepresented in our workforce.

At UHD our active staff network groups are the Women's Network, Black Asian Minority Ethnic Group (BAME), Pride Network, European (EU), Pro Ability Staff Network, and the Armed Forces Support Group.

As a Trust we are proudly signed up to the Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant guaranteed interview schemes.

Job overview

We're excited to offer this opportunity within our Admin & Clerical workforce.

As part of our new Transfer Window process, we're making it easier for colleagues to move into roles where their skills are needed most. This approach helps us fill vacancies quickly and supports career development across the Trust.

Only UHD colleagues who hold a substantive contract (permanent or fixed term ) and whose current role is within the Admin & Clerical staff group are eligible to express interest in the Transfer Window and be considered for this role.

Are you highly organised, calm under pressure and passionate about supporting patients and staff through accurate and timely information handling? Join our dedicated Medico Legal Team at University Hospitals Dorset and play a vital role in ensuring the safe, lawful release of personal information.

Interview Date: 22nd of June

Main duties of the job

As a Medico Legal Officer, you will be part of a centralised team responsible for managing Subject Access Requests and supporting the lawful disclosure of records to patients, solicitors, police, and other authorised bodies. You will help ensure the Trust meets its statutory obligations under the UK GDPR, Data Protection Act 2018, and Access to Health Records Act 1990.

This is a varied and rewarding administrative role where accuracy, empathy and professionalism are essential.

Working for our organisation

UHD are investing, developing and transforming Trust services in line with the New Hospital Programme. As part of this, some services may move site this year or next, either temporarily or permanently. Recruiting Managers will be happy to answer any service specific questions at interview.

If a role or service relocates as part of a planned move, excess mileage will not be reimbursed. Travel from home to the new work base will be classed as a normal commute. Any other changes will be managed under Trust or national terms and conditions.

UHD has active networks including Women's, BAME, Pride, EU, Pro Ability, and Armed Forces. We support Disability Confident and Armed Forces Covenant interview schemes.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Processing and coordinating Subject Access Requests, ensuring timely and compliant disclosure of medical records.
• Communicating directly with patients, relatives, solicitors, GPs, police, safeguarding teams, and internal colleagues.
• Using various IT systems to locate physical and scanned records and flag issues such as missing or mis scanned documents.
• Managing incoming emails and mail, routine correspondence, and escalating complex cases where required.
• Maintaining accurate logs, databases and tracking information to ensure high quality data management.
• Providing non clinical advice sensitively, including when patients or relatives may be distressed.
• Preparing documentation such as insurance forms, DWP forms and pension service paperwork.
• Upholding strict confidentiality, data protection standards, and departmental procedures.

We're looking for someone who:

• Is highly organised, with excellent attention to detail and strong administrative skills.
• Communicates clearly and professionally with a wide range of people.
• Can prioritise work effectively and use their own initiative within set boundaries.
• Remains calm, empathetic and respectful when dealing with sensitive or emotional situations.
• Has excellent IT skills and is confident learning new systems (training provided).
• Understands or is keen to learn about data protection, confidentiality and medical records processes.

Person specification Education

• Educated to GCSE level (or equivalent experience)
• Demonstrably good level of literacy and numeracy
• OCR/RSA III typing/word processing or equivalent
• Knowledge or previous training within Information Governance and/or Data Protection legislation

Experience

• Administrative/Clerical experience
• Experience using Microsoft Office software (Outlook, Word, Excel, etc.)
• Effective communicator with both internal and external stakeholders
• Managing and prioritising own workload
• Experience of working within strict legal guidelines and policies
• Experience working in a healthcare setting
• Experience of handling sensitive personal data
• Use of medical records systems
• Legal experience

Technical skills and competencies

• Good IT skills and level of computer literacy with particular emphasis on word processing, databases, internet and email
• Strong attention to detail
• Able to deal with a wide range of staff, patients and public in a polite and professional way
• Possess a willingness to learn as role requirement will change with legislative/system changes
• Ability to clearly articulate and explain key concepts related to the role
• Willingness to learn use of different IT systems
• Ability to multi task

Knowledge

• Knowledge of legislation relating to Data Protection and data subjects' rights
• Awareness of Information Governance
• Awareness of NHS policies and procedures
• Knowledge of medical terminology

Other requirements specific to the role

• Understand the management of highly confidential information
• Use of display screen equipment continually most days
• Use of telephone
• Frequent periods of concentration
• Ability to travel between main hospital sites, as required

Personal attributes

• Open, responsive and positive attitude towards change
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Able to work effectively within a team based across multiple sites to achieve compliance with request timescales.
• Ability to liaise with peers, external agencies and general public equally
• Deal sensitively with patients/family when required
• Willingness and ability to manage a fluctuating volume of workload - not easily flustered
• Willingness and awareness to ask for help if required
• Willingness to build knowledge and expertise

Language requirement

• Be able to speak English as necessary to undertake the role

Please note:

Staff recruited are expected to be available to work flexibly across all our Trust locations to meet service demands.

This advert may be closed early if sufficient applications are received.

COVID-19 vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and our patients from the virus when working in our healthcare settings. Whilst this vaccination is not a condition of employment we do encourage our staff to get vaccinated.

Internal Candidates: staff employed prior to merger who voluntarily change jobs will be appointed to UHD terms and conditions.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.