Job summary
To support the Medical Examiners in their role of scrutinising the circumstance and causes of death.
To be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, health care professionals, registration services and coroner.
To act as the Trust's expert for death certification and to ensure that medical and administrative staff involved in the process are appropriately trained and supported to fulfil their responsibilities.
To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patient's death.
***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***
Main duties of the job
Work with medical examiners to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the Plymouth Medical Examiner area.
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 assist in highlighting cases for assessment by the Structured Judgement Review team (SJR), Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), Clinical Governance teams and the Learning Disability Review Teams (LeDeR).
Assist the attending practitioner and Medical Examiner with referrals to the coroner for further investigation on approval by the Medical Examiner.
Maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the Medical Examiner system to ensure equality to any group defined by sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
About us
We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment team on 01752 432100. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Aspects of the MEO role will undergo change and development. This may include new technology, methods of working systems and procedures. The post holder will be expected following appropriate consultation and training to embrace wholeheartedly any such changes in working practice.
- Work with the Medical Examiners (MEs) and attending practitioner to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the Plymouth Medical Examiner area.
- To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and the clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patients death.
- To establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records and pre-scrutiny discussion with the bereaved to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the medical examiner.
- To assist in highlighting cases for assessment working closely with the Trusts Lead Medical Examiner and Medical Examiners the Trust adopted methodology for Structured Judgement Review (SJR) for review process, which will include, Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) and the Learning Disability Review Teams (LeDeR).
- To ensure that where concerns, acts or omissions are detected relating to the patients death that this is appropriately escalated to the necessary department to highlight that Duty of Candour needs to be enacted by the most appropriate clinician.
- To ensure that the Medical Examiner Service register of deaths is kept up to date for monitoring, reporting and tracking reviews.
- To support the Medical Examiner and attending practitioner with referral of patients to the coroner for further investigation and sustain onward communications.
- To work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders for the purposes of ensuring statutory requirements are maintained, demonstrating insight and understanding of ethical and legal issues (including HTA, Human Tissue Authority) relating to Mortuary and Bereavement services.
- Acting as a positive role model and interacting appropriately with all stakeholders including the MEs, the bereaved, the coroner and Registrar
- To be a source of expert knowledge and advice for health professionals and wider stakeholder groups.
- Regular interaction with bereaved relatives, in person or over the telephone, handling emotive and challenging situations, demonstrating empathy and remaining professional at all times and know when to escalate a situation to the Senior Medical Examiner Officer and Medical Examiners when required.
- To work collaboratively with the Medical Examiner, PALS and Complaint Services to ensure bereaved relatives are supported, advised and to establish, resolve and escalate appropriately any concerns they may have.
- To work with the Medical Examiner ensuring that the bereaved are kept informed and updated with progression of paperwork.
- Following Medical Examiner review, Medical Examiner Officer to ensure contact is made with the bereaved and paperwork is sent to the appropriate register office and funeral director.
- Facilitating viewings for the bereaved during periods of absence of the Medical Examiner Administrator.
- Provide support, information and explanations around the statutory requirements for Coroners post[1]mortems, including the procedures for the release of the deceased.
- Where appropriate signpost the bereaved to external support and agencies.
- To work in liaison with the Bereavement Midwifes for the management of death certification paperwork in relation to baby deaths and to have discussions with the bereaved when required.
- To adhere to the Trust agreed policies and procedures and contribute to and review of departmental Standard Operating Procedures and policies to reflect best practice in the delivery of a medical examiner system.
- To ensure that any complaints received are appropriately referred and managed according to Trust Policy.
- Maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the medical examiner system to ensure equality to any group defined by sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
- The post holder will be expected to work on their own initiative and manage their own workload ensuring process timescales are adhered to.
- To provide cover for the role of the Medical Examiner Administrator during periods of absence.
- To be the point of contact during periods of the Senior Medical Examiner Officers absence, to manage any urgent requests for information, advice and support and attendance at meetings where required.
Administration
- Utilise data systems to access all relevant records including the IPM, SALUS, Nerve Centre, EMIS and System One.
- To keep accurate and contemporaneous records.
- Assist the Senior Medical Examiner Officer to prepare reports to be submitted to the National Medical Examiner.
- Full compliance with secure handling of patient identifiable data is essential following National, Local and Trust Guidelines.
- Participate in audit and surveys as directed by the National and Regional Medical Examiners office working under the direction of the Trusts Lead Medical Examiner and Senior Medical Examiner Officer.
- Where there is no next of kin, arrange for Finders searches to be undertaken to locate next of kin.
- Where there are no funds available for the cost of a funeral, liaise with families to support the process for applying for funds through the Department for Work and Pensions.
- To oversee the arrangement of hospital contract funerals.
Training and Development
- To train new members of staff in the Medical Examiner systems, this will involve delivering complex information in a formal or informal setting.
- To participate in delivering training at induction for appropriate groups of staff.
- Assist in Trust wide learning and associated service development identified from reviews of deaths.
- To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee taking responsibility for complying with agreed personal development programme to meet set knowledge and competencies.
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency, knowledge, and skills, attending.
- Training as appropriate and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.
- To undertake all Trust mandatory internal study as required for the role.
For further details please see the attached JD & PS
Job description
Job responsibilities
Aspects of the MEO role will undergo change and development. This may include new technology, methods of working systems and procedures. The post holder will be expected following appropriate consultation and training to embrace wholeheartedly any such changes in working practice.
- Work with the Medical Examiners (MEs) and attending practitioner to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the Plymouth Medical Examiner area.
- To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and the clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patients death.
- To establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records and pre-scrutiny discussion with the bereaved to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the medical examiner.
- To assist in highlighting cases for assessment working closely with the Trusts Lead Medical Examiner and Medical Examiners the Trust adopted methodology for Structured Judgement Review (SJR) for review process, which will include, Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP) and the Learning Disability Review Teams (LeDeR).
- To ensure that where concerns, acts or omissions are detected relating to the patients death that this is appropriately escalated to the necessary department to highlight that Duty of Candour needs to be enacted by the most appropriate clinician.
- To ensure that the Medical Examiner Service register of deaths is kept up to date for monitoring, reporting and tracking reviews.
- To support the Medical Examiner and attending practitioner with referral of patients to the coroner for further investigation and sustain onward communications.
- To work collaboratively with internal and external stakeholders for the purposes of ensuring statutory requirements are maintained, demonstrating insight and understanding of ethical and legal issues (including HTA, Human Tissue Authority) relating to Mortuary and Bereavement services.
- Acting as a positive role model and interacting appropriately with all stakeholders including the MEs, the bereaved, the coroner and Registrar
- To be a source of expert knowledge and advice for health professionals and wider stakeholder groups.
- Regular interaction with bereaved relatives, in person or over the telephone, handling emotive and challenging situations, demonstrating empathy and remaining professional at all times and know when to escalate a situation to the Senior Medical Examiner Officer and Medical Examiners when required.
- To work collaboratively with the Medical Examiner, PALS and Complaint Services to ensure bereaved relatives are supported, advised and to establish, resolve and escalate appropriately any concerns they may have.
- To work with the Medical Examiner ensuring that the bereaved are kept informed and updated with progression of paperwork.
- Following Medical Examiner review, Medical Examiner Officer to ensure contact is made with the bereaved and paperwork is sent to the appropriate register office and funeral director.
- Facilitating viewings for the bereaved during periods of absence of the Medical Examiner Administrator.
- Provide support, information and explanations around the statutory requirements for Coroners post[1]mortems, including the procedures for the release of the deceased.
- Where appropriate signpost the bereaved to external support and agencies.
- To work in liaison with the Bereavement Midwifes for the management of death certification paperwork in relation to baby deaths and to have discussions with the bereaved when required.
- To adhere to the Trust agreed policies and procedures and contribute to and review of departmental Standard Operating Procedures and policies to reflect best practice in the delivery of a medical examiner system.
- To ensure that any complaints received are appropriately referred and managed according to Trust Policy.
- Maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the medical examiner system to ensure equality to any group defined by sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
- The post holder will be expected to work on their own initiative and manage their own workload ensuring process timescales are adhered to.
- To provide cover for the role of the Medical Examiner Administrator during periods of absence.
- To be the point of contact during periods of the Senior Medical Examiner Officers absence, to manage any urgent requests for information, advice and support and attendance at meetings where required.
Administration
- Utilise data systems to access all relevant records including the IPM, SALUS, Nerve Centre, EMIS and System One.
- To keep accurate and contemporaneous records.
- Assist the Senior Medical Examiner Officer to prepare reports to be submitted to the National Medical Examiner.
- Full compliance with secure handling of patient identifiable data is essential following National, Local and Trust Guidelines.
- Participate in audit and surveys as directed by the National and Regional Medical Examiners office working under the direction of the Trusts Lead Medical Examiner and Senior Medical Examiner Officer.
- Where there is no next of kin, arrange for Finders searches to be undertaken to locate next of kin.
- Where there are no funds available for the cost of a funeral, liaise with families to support the process for applying for funds through the Department for Work and Pensions.
- To oversee the arrangement of hospital contract funerals.
Training and Development
- To train new members of staff in the Medical Examiner systems, this will involve delivering complex information in a formal or informal setting.
- To participate in delivering training at induction for appropriate groups of staff.
- Assist in Trust wide learning and associated service development identified from reviews of deaths.
- To participate in the staff appraisal scheme as an appraisee taking responsibility for complying with agreed personal development programme to meet set knowledge and competencies.
- To be responsible for maintaining own competency, knowledge, and skills, attending.
- Training as appropriate and maintain a portfolio which reflects personal development.
- To undertake all Trust mandatory internal study as required for the role.
For further details please see the attached JD & PS
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working with people in sensitive and emotional situations
- Demonstrable experience of working in a healthcare setting with multi-disciplinary teams across organisation boundaries
- Proven general knowledge of clinical/medical terminology
- Proven knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death
- Proven knowledge of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system. Full understanding of the medical examiner system operational remits when incorporated within Bereavement Services or as a stand-alone office
- Competent in the use of IT software systems and handling sensitive personal identifiable data
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of working in a healthcare setting
- Demonstrable experience of using clinical systems such as IPM/SALUS/System one
- Demonstrable experience of using DATIX
- Demonstrable experience of dealing directly with patients and their representatives on healthcare matters, bereavement, concerns or complaints
- Demonstrable experience of the Medical Examiner Service and process
- Demonstrable experience of the Registry office processes for registering a death
Qualifications
Essential
- Good standard of Education
- Educated to a Batchelors degree in relevant subject or equivalent working experience in a related field
- The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved
- Completed e-learning MEO core training modules prior to starting in the post.
Aptitude and Abilities
Essential
- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders.
- Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities
- Proactive and self-motivated with the ability to deputise for senior MEO often at short notice
- Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
- Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances.
Desirable
- Professional appearance, manner and awareness of impact of own behaviour on others.
- Willingness to work flexibly in the role.
Person Specification
Knowledge and Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working with people in sensitive and emotional situations
- Demonstrable experience of working in a healthcare setting with multi-disciplinary teams across organisation boundaries
- Proven general knowledge of clinical/medical terminology
- Proven knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death
- Proven knowledge of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system. Full understanding of the medical examiner system operational remits when incorporated within Bereavement Services or as a stand-alone office
- Competent in the use of IT software systems and handling sensitive personal identifiable data
Desirable
- Demonstrable experience of working in a healthcare setting
- Demonstrable experience of using clinical systems such as IPM/SALUS/System one
- Demonstrable experience of using DATIX
- Demonstrable experience of dealing directly with patients and their representatives on healthcare matters, bereavement, concerns or complaints
- Demonstrable experience of the Medical Examiner Service and process
- Demonstrable experience of the Registry office processes for registering a death
Qualifications
Essential
- Good standard of Education
- Educated to a Batchelors degree in relevant subject or equivalent working experience in a related field
- The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved
- Completed e-learning MEO core training modules prior to starting in the post.
Aptitude and Abilities
Essential
- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders.
- Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities
- Proactive and self-motivated with the ability to deputise for senior MEO often at short notice
- Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
- Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances.
Desirable
- Professional appearance, manner and awareness of impact of own behaviour on others.
- Willingness to work flexibly in the role.
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).
