Adult Social Care Debt Recovery Paralegal

Adult Social Care Debt Recovery Paralegal

The closing date is 23 March 2026

The Legal Services team play a crucial role in supporting the Trust and Trust employees with all manner of legal matters including Inquests and Claims made against the Trust.

You will be required to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the law and procedures relating to debt recovery. This includes supporting the departments lawyers as well as supporting casework on matters relating to the Trust's debt recovery work.

Main duties of the job

• Good working knowledge of debt recovery and enforcement in the County Court.
• Support an active caseload with the aim of providing efficient and effective debt recovery advice. Comply with time limits, meet deadlines and advise on strategic case management to ensure that matters are processed effectively and efficiently.
• Deal with incoming post and ensure systems are updated and operated correctly.
• Liaise directly with other Departments within the Trust, debtors, the Court and external third parties.
• Drafting Letters of Claim pursuant to the Practice Direction - Pre-Action Conduct and Protocols and the Pre-Action Protocol for Debt Claims.
• Support negotiations on settlements, instalments and monitoring payment plans.
• Preparing Claim Forms.
• Prepare Judgment in Default documentation.
• Advising the Trust on enforcement options and progressing enforcement with the Court, Land Registry and through High Court Enforcement Officers.
• Assist with the preparation of Trust reports.
• To assist casework on Debt Recovery matters.
• Instruct counsel as necessary, arrange case conferences and attend with counsel at hearings/inquiries as required.
• Familiarise and keep up to date with changes in the law and legal practice.
• Providing support to facilitate the development and implementation of new procedures within the team.

About us

Why Work With Us

You will be joining a friendly and very supportive Trust, committed to the delivery of quality healthcare services to the people of Devon. We value our staff health and wellbeing and are constantly looking to improve our offer to them, as well as recognising their commitment and excellence through our People awards. We were the first NHS organisation in England to join up hospital and community care with social care creating an integrated care organisation making our Trust an exciting and interesting place to work and grow your career. In support of this you will also have access to a programme of high-quality training and development.

You will be joining the Trust at a very exciting time in its history. A new Devon wide Electronic Paper Record is due to go live over the next 12 months, and you will be at the forefront of the Legal Services offering to the Trust.

Job responsibilities

• Toprovide a consistent and fair approach towards members of the public and Trust employees in accordance with the Trusts Equal Opportunities Policies.
• To assist casework on legal matters including evaluation of evidence, case preparation and, where appropriate, briefing counsel.
• Assisting lawyers and counsel with the conduct of routine and more complex legal proceedings.
• Contributes to the development and implementation of new procedures within the team.
• With minimal supervision, to assist casework on a debt recovery. Including proactive case management, preparation of proceedings, advice on settlement negotiations, drafting documents to obtain judgment in default as required and assisting recovery of settlement including relevant enforcement actions.
• Arrange case conferences and attend hearings.

Person Specification Qualifications

• Degree in Law (or other degree with completion of relevant conversion course)
• Full or trainee membership of CILEX (Chartered Institute of Legal Executives) or the National Association of Licensed Paralegals (NALP)
• Understanding / knowledge of NHS or Local Authority debt management processes and administration

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer name

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust