SECTOR
NHS Trust
SERVICE
Full Departmental Review
Transforming an NHS Trust legal department: from outsourced to outstanding
Within twelve months, the Trust saw substantial improvements across every key performance area.
£250k
projected annual saving in external legal spend
90% to 30%
inquest outsourcing
100% to 0%
claims outsourcing
0
compliance breaches after the changes
The challenge
The Trust relied heavily on external providers for its claims and inquests. Costs were rising, and the in-house team had little visibility of active matters.
• Paper-based systems slowed communication
• No defined processes or performance standards, so outcomes were inconsistent
• Skill gaps and limited resources created pressure points
• Delays responding to evidence requests were affecting relationships and compliance.
What we did
• Reviewed the department's structure, workflow and costs
• Restructured the team around its existing strengths
• Recruited two skilled specialists to build in-house capacity
• Digitised all workflows and records, freeing up physical space
• Introduced clear KPIs and standard operating procedures
• Rebuilt relationships through faster, clearer communication
The result
Within twelve months:
• £250,000 projected annual saving in external legal spend
• Inquest outsourcing reduced from 90% to 30%
• Claims outsourcing reduced from 100% to 0%
• Workflows and records fully digitised
• Proactive evidence management removed the need for Schedule 5 notices, and compliance breaches were eliminated
• A stronger team culture and better relationships across the Trust
HLC transformed our struggling legal department following a full review, which targeted the root of the issues that were causing performance failures and escalating financial spend. Bringing our legal portfolio back in-house has created predicted annual savings of £250k and has demonstrably improved relationships with our key external stakeholders.
Dr Ed Cetti, Chief Medical Officer, Surrey & Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust