Benjamin Cowell

Experience

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  Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)

  Apr 2002 - Mar 2005

  Administrative Officer

  This role was my very first job which I commenced at age 16. I was originally employed at the grade of Administration Assistant (AA) however was promoted after just three month's service to the Administration Officer (AO) grade. I worked within The Pension Service at Tyneview Park in Benton and commenced on the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) teleclaims line. This benefit was withdrawn in 2003 and replaced with Pension Credit which would be administered locally in regional Pension Centres so this necessitated a move to Retirement Pension Teleclaims (RPTC) in 2003. This role involved taking electronic claims for state retirement pension over the telephone and the answering of general queries. I worked both part time and full time in this position and left the DWP to commence my employment with Northumbria Police. Show less

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  Northumbria Police

  Mar 2005 - Sept 2005

  Police Community Support Officer

  As one of the first intakes of Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) to Northumbria Police; this was my first uniformed role within the police. I was posted to the west end of Newcastle and my main role was to provide a high visibility presence within the communities I served. I would deal with instances of low level youth disorder, anti social behaviour, neighbourhood disputes and underage street drinking. I absolutely loved my role however I had to make the decision as to remain with this employer or to commence my studies at university in a different city and decided upon the latter with the plan that I would join the police following university. Show less

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  TREMARK Associates

  Jan 2007 - Jan 2008

  Customer Service Agent

  My role was a part time position whilst I was studying at university. I was as a member of the Early Contact Team (ECT) and my responsibility would be the settling of commercial one month debts on behalf of a regional energy supplier.

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  British Transport Police

  Apr 2007 - Sept 2008

  Special Constable

  As a volunteer police officer I worked as many shifts as I could whilst still at university. I was on a response team attending emergency calls for assistance within the jurisdiction of the British Transport Police within West Yorkshire.

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  Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  May 2008 - Sept 2008

  Corporate Affairs Administrator

  As a temporary member of staff I dealt with processing road traffic collisions (RTCs) involving trust vehicles, liaising with insurers and brokers and processing Notices of Intended Prosecutions (NIPs). I worked at two locations during my time with the trust - at Ambulance HQ in Wakefield and the Administration and Control Centre - North in York.

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  West Yorkshire Police

  Sept 2008 - Sept 2014

  Police Constable

  My service with West Yorkshire Police as a Police Constable (PC) was spent within Leeds and involved postings on neighbourhood policing teams (in east Leeds and latterly of my service in Leeds city centre), working in custody suites (with a six month secondment during the summer of 2013) and the majority of my service was spent on a divisional response team. Whilst on response my main role would be to respond to emergency 999 calls for service, along with priority and standard calls for service. My division covered an extremely large urban area with a number of different communities and calls for service were numerous and varied. My shift pattern involved early shifts, late shifts and night shifts. Show less

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  Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Sept 2014 - Sept 2016

  Legal Services Coordinator

  I coordinate a team within the Legal Services Department who deals with subject access requests under the Data Protection Act; all enquiries from police forces within Yorkshire and The Humber region, the processing of Notices of Intended Prosecutions (NIPs) and most recently, Freedom of Information Requests. I also coordinate another large area of work in regards to inquests held by HM Coroner in regards to inquest case management and preparation.

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  South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

  Oct 2016 - Jun 2018

  Litigation & Inquests Manager

  I am the Litigation & Inquests Manager at South West Yorkshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, the mental health, learning disability and community healthcare Trust for Calderdale, Kirklees, Wakefield and Barnsley. My role involves managing all claims (employer's and public liability, property expenses, professional indemnity and clinical negligence) brought against the Trust and requests from HM Coroner regarding patients and service users who have had contact with the Trust. Another facet of my role is to develop the current internal processes within Legal Services in order to ensure that they are as streamlined and efficient as possible, along with line management of the Legal Services staff. Show less

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  Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

  Jun 2018 - Mar 2019

  Risk & DATIX Manager

  I am the Trust's Risk & DATIX Manager for Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and I oversee management of inquests, claims and access to health records along with risk management and systems manager for the DATIX record management system. As part of my role, I am driving forward the risk management strategy for the Trust, helping to embed the ethos of risk management within the Trust as well as managing the DATIX system for the Trust, effecting change to the system through database design to maximise the efficiency and assurance from the system to the Trust. Also within my role, I advise senior hospital leadership members regarding liability in regards to clinical negligence claims and will represent the Trust at HM Coroner's inquests. Show less

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  Yorkshire Ambulance Service NHS Trust

  Mar 2019 - now

  A brand new position within the department - watch this space!

  • Deputy Head of Legal Services (Solicitor)

    Dec 2024 - now

  • Legal Services Manager

    Mar 2019 - Dec 2024