Job summary
We are looking for a Band 6 Site Lead Lead Medical Examiner Officer (MEO) to join the Medical Examiner's Office at the Princess Royal University Hospital to cover Monday and Tuesdays alongside the current Band 6 Site Lead who works Wednesdays Thursdays and Fridays.
The Medical Examiner system became statutory as of the 9th September 2024.
The principal functions are:
- To provide the bereaved with explanation, transparency and early opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns.
- To improve accuracy and quality in all aspects of the medical certification of the cause of death.
- To ensure appropriate referral to the Coroner.
- To safeguard the public through consistent scrutiny of all non-coronal deaths.
- To support clinical governance in learning and improvement.
- The current service is currently scrutinising all adult, paediatric and neonatal deaths in the hospital, with expansion to the community covering Bexley and Bromley Boroughs.
Main duties of the job
We are seeking an individual who will be responsible for working within the Medical Examiner Offices and leading the Medical Examiner Officers Team at the Princess Hospital on a Monday and Tuesday.
The role will participate in all aspects of the department when required including the completion of paperwork required for the Medical Examiner to scrutinise each death and ensuring that all deaths arescrutinised in a timely manner.
You will work closely with the Lead Medical Examiner Officer in continually developing the Medical Examiner service and will take an active role in supporting the scrutiny of coronial deaths within the community.
The post holder will also be required to have working experience of being a Medical Examiners Officer and proven experience of taking part in building the Medical Examiner Service.
The Medical Examiner Officer is central to the service and is primarily based on one site. They will provide a constant presence in the medical examiner office allowing day to day continuity. They are ideally placed to note concerns, identify and record trends and identify learning.
About us
King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 15,000 staff based across South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. The trust-wide strategy of Strong Roots, Global Reach is our Vision to be BOLD, Brilliant people, Outstanding care, Leaders in Research, Innovation and Education, Diversity, Equality and Inclusion at the heart of everything we do. By being person-centred, digitally-enabled, and focused on sustainability, we aim to take Team King's to another level.
We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.
King's is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone's contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust's carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leadership
- To manage the Medical Examiner Office day to day.
- Work with Medical Examiner Officers in managing the teams delegated roles within the service.
- Review performance of the staff and make recommendations for development and further training.
- Assist the Lead MEO with the provision of accurate data returns to comply with National and Regional Medical Examiner requirements.
- Attend meetings as required to represent the Medical Examiner Service.
- To maintain workflow through the Medical Examiners Service to ensure all targets are met.
Education and Training
- Ensure training programmes and induction training for Medical Examiner Officers are followed
- Alongside the Lead Medical Exminer Officer plan and coordinate training for staff.
- Participate in training appropriate to the role.
- Update and maintain own self development and awareness.
- Participate in Trust mandatory training.
- Work closely with the mortuary and bereavement service manager and Lead Medical Examiner Officer to ensure excellent working relationships between the ME office staff and mortuary and bereavement staff
Responsibilities
- To establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the medical examiner.
- To work with the Lead Medical Examiner Officer to ensure proper and proportionate scrutiny of all deaths allocated to the Medical Examiner Service.
- To manage own workload ensuring timescales are adhered to
- To identify those cases that may require further review by Clinical Governance pathways.
- To take part in highlighting concerns or complaints
- To participate in the maintenance of accurate record keeping systems and statistical data collection
- Take part in service and policy development
- Continually monitor own performance ensuring professional standards are met at all times.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Leadership
- To manage the Medical Examiner Office day to day.
- Work with Medical Examiner Officers in managing the teams delegated roles within the service.
- Review performance of the staff and make recommendations for development and further training.
- Assist the Lead MEO with the provision of accurate data returns to comply with National and Regional Medical Examiner requirements.
- Attend meetings as required to represent the Medical Examiner Service.
- To maintain workflow through the Medical Examiners Service to ensure all targets are met.
Education and Training
- Ensure training programmes and induction training for Medical Examiner Officers are followed
- Alongside the Lead Medical Exminer Officer plan and coordinate training for staff.
- Participate in training appropriate to the role.
- Update and maintain own self development and awareness.
- Participate in Trust mandatory training.
- Work closely with the mortuary and bereavement service manager and Lead Medical Examiner Officer to ensure excellent working relationships between the ME office staff and mortuary and bereavement staff
Responsibilities
- To establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the medical examiner.
- To work with the Lead Medical Examiner Officer to ensure proper and proportionate scrutiny of all deaths allocated to the Medical Examiner Service.
- To manage own workload ensuring timescales are adhered to
- To identify those cases that may require further review by Clinical Governance pathways.
- To take part in highlighting concerns or complaints
- To participate in the maintenance of accurate record keeping systems and statistical data collection
- Take part in service and policy development
- Continually monitor own performance ensuring professional standards are met at all times.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Batchelor's degree level or equivalent working knowledge in related field
- Completed the e-LFH MEO Training and RcPath MEO Training
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a Medical Examiner Officer
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Competent in the use of IT software and handling sensitive personal identifiable data
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Batchelor's degree level or equivalent working knowledge in related field
- Completed the e-LFH MEO Training and RcPath MEO Training
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Experience of working as a Medical Examiner Officer
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Competent in the use of IT software and handling sensitive personal identifiable data
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.
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.
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).
