Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

Lead Medical Examiner Officer

The closing date is 15 October 2025

Job summary

To lead and manage the team of medical examiner officers, and work closely with the Medical Examiners in the scrutiny of deceased patients' medical records within the Trust, and for all non-coronial deaths in community settings in Cornwall.

Ensuring the provision of a high quality, robust service.

Main duties of the job

Main Duties

Work with Medical Examiners to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the organisation.

To establish the circumstances by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required.

To assist in highlighting cases for assessment by the Structured Judgement Review team (SJR), Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), Clinical Governance teams and the LearningDisability Review Teams (LeDeR).

Maintain a robust database to capture the deaths scrutinised each day.

Provide leadership and manage the other MEOs in day-to-day tasks.

Complete regular appraisals and training for the MEO team.Extract and analyse data for the National audit and for local use of the performance within the service.

To complete relevant ordering and procurement of resources for the service.

To partake in and chair meetings with a variety of stakeholders.

Maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the medical examiner system to ensure equality to any particular group defined by sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.

To assist in the development of the Service.

About us

The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with

visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million.

We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School.

The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles.

Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation.

Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is a research active organisation.

It's established South West Clinical School in Cornwall exists to promote clinical academic career opportunities for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals interested in research and evidence-based activities. Read their research paper to find out more.

Website: https://www.plymouth.ac.uk/research/clinical-schools/royal-cornwall-hospitals-nhs-trust-clinical-school

https://doi.org/10.1177/17449871231209037

Details

Date posted

01 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

156-7465428

Job locations

Cornwall Medical Examiner Office

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Truro

TR13LJ


Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.

To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:

Identity Checks

Professional registration and qualification checks

Employment history and reference checks

Occupational Health clearance

Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check

Right to work in the UK

For further information please visit:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation

We reserve the right to close this advert early.

We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview.

Job description

Job responsibilities

PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side.

To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following:

Identity Checks

Professional registration and qualification checks

Employment history and reference checks

Occupational Health clearance

Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check

Right to work in the UK

For further information please visit:

https://www.nhsemployers.org/topics-networks/employment-standards-and-regulation

We reserve the right to close this advert early.

We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to Batchelor degree level or equivalent experience
  • Experience working with the bereaved or in sensitive/emotional situations
  • Working knowledge of NHS IT systems

Desirable

  • Experience working in a Medical examiner Office
  • Knowledge of the Coroner and Justice Act
  • Completed/started Medical Examiner e-lfh modules

Experience

Essential

  • Previous management/supervisory experience
  • Ability to manage conflicting demands
  • Experience in Bereavement, Medical Examiner, Funeral Director or related fields

Desirable

  • Experience managing staff rotas
  • Experience of Budget management
  • Working experience with Excel and Word based applications

Communication

Essential

  • Excellent proven communication skills
  • Strong mental stability

Desirable

  • Experience of training/education
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Educated to Batchelor degree level or equivalent experience
  • Experience working with the bereaved or in sensitive/emotional situations
  • Working knowledge of NHS IT systems

Desirable

  • Experience working in a Medical examiner Office
  • Knowledge of the Coroner and Justice Act
  • Completed/started Medical Examiner e-lfh modules

Experience

Essential

  • Previous management/supervisory experience
  • Ability to manage conflicting demands
  • Experience in Bereavement, Medical Examiner, Funeral Director or related fields

Desirable

  • Experience managing staff rotas
  • Experience of Budget management
  • Working experience with Excel and Word based applications

Communication

Essential

  • Excellent proven communication skills
  • Strong mental stability

Desirable

  • Experience of training/education

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Additional information

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

Address

Cornwall Medical Examiner Office

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Truro

TR13LJ


Employer's website

https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust

Address

Cornwall Medical Examiner Office

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Truro

TR13LJ


Employer's website

https://www.royalcornwall.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Lead Medical examiner Officer

Linda Warne

lindawarne@nhs.net

01872252553

Details

Date posted

01 October 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 6

Salary

£38,682 to £46,580 a year pa pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

156-7465428

Job locations

Cornwall Medical Examiner Office

Royal Cornwall Hospital

Truro

TR13LJ


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)