This is an exciting opportunity for medical professionals to use their skills and knowledge to make important decisions that will make a real difference to people's lives.
About the role
The Social Entitlement Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal hears appeals relating to a wide range of benefit decisions made by central and local government.
As a medical member of the tribunal you will hear appeals relating to:
- personal independence payments
- attendance allowance
- employment support allowance
- benefits for industrial injury or disease
- compensation recovery, including NHS recovery claims
- vaccine damage payments
To determine the appeal, you and your fellow tribunal members will consider evidence, find facts and apply the relevant law to reach a fair decision.
You will use your professional expertise to assist the tribunal to understand the medical evidence provided.
Before the hearing, you will receive appeal papers, some of which can be substantial and complex, to enable you to prepare.
Who can apply
You must be a registered medical practitioner to be eligible to apply. 'Registered medical practitioner' means a fully registered person within the meaning of the Medical Act 1983 whether or not they hold a licence to practise under the Act.
Your registration must also be unconditional. Conditional registration is where a doctor has either been issued with a warning, been referred to a Fitness to Practice Panel or had restrictions imposed upon their registration with the General Medical Council.
The JAC encourages diversity and welcomes applications from groups currently under-represented in the judiciary. The principles of fair and open competition will apply and recommendation for appointment will be made solely on merit.
About the appointment
If you are successful, you will be assigned to a region and allocated to a primary hearing venue, though you may be invited to sit at other locations as well.
You will be expected to make yourself available to sit for at least 15 days a year. In addition, you will usually be required to attend up to 3 training days a year.
The daily fee varies depending on the number of days sitting. The fee is £322.20 for the first 20 sitting days in any financial year and £386.83 thereafter.
As a medical member you may hear cases that involve industrial injury or disease that require a medical examination. These are usually allocated to those possessing relevant specialist knowledge such as orthopaedic surgeons, neurologists, rheumatologists and chest physicians.
Selection process
You will need to complete an online application when the selection exercise launches. Do not create an online account prior to launch as the application is being built specifically for this exercise.
The online application will include:
- your personal profile (including career history), character and diversity information
- a statement of suitability that provides evidence to demonstrate how your skills and experience make you suitable for the post
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