Medical Examiner

Job description

Job responsibilities

Medical examiners (MEs) receive a combination of e-learning and face-to-face training via the Royal College of Pathologists, and are encouraged to take medical Examiner membership of the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPathME). It is recommended that MEs are consultant grade doctors from a range of disciplines (including GP principals).

MEs will take a consistent approach to the formulation of MCCD content, which must be clinically accurate. MEs must be independent and not have been involved in the care of the deceased patients for deaths they scrutinise. They work as part of a team of Medical Examiners and Medical Examiners Officers.

This position reports to the Trust Lead Medical Examiner, with dual accountability to both the Trust Medical Director, and the Regional Medical Examiner, and ultimately the National Medical Examiner.

These roles are part-time and are to be performed as part of a job plan that contains clinical and other activities. Multiple PAs are available in this round of recruitment.

Medical Examiners have a number of responsibilities including:

• To ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current processes of certification, investigation by coroners and registration of deaths.
• To scrutinise the certified causes of death offered by attending doctors in a way that is proportionate, consistent and compliant with national guidance.
• To discuss and explain the cause of death with next of kin/informants in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner. It is anticipated that such discussions will be predominately conducted through telephone conversations.
• To ensure that all users of the ME system are treated with respect and are not discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
• To maintain comprehensive, timely records of all deaths scrutinised, enabling analysis to provide information to healthcare providers and the National Medical Examiners office.
• To support the training of junior doctors in their understanding of death certification and promote good practice in accurate completion of MCCDs.
• To work with medical examiner officers (MEOs), delegating duties as appropriate.
• To adopt a collaborative working relationship with other MEs by sharing experiences and expertise to support peer learning and set uniform standards of service delivery.

• You must be a Medical Practitioner registered and licensed to practise in the UK by the GMC.
• You should have up-to-date knowledge of causes of death and an understanding of the legal frameworks associated with death certification processes.
• You will have good IT skills including use of email and commonly used software.
• You will have knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity.
• You will have knowledge of local and national clinical governance systems and an understanding of how the ME can work collaboratively to improve patient safety by identifying sub-optimal clinical and organisational performance.

For a full comprehensive list of main responsibilities and duties, please kindly refer to job description and person specification attached.

Person Specification

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Experience of undertaking clinical case note reviews as part of Mortality and Morbidity or Serious Incident process
• Commitment to maintain knowledge and keep general medical skills and knowledge up to date.
• Ability to act proportionately and report sub-standard clinical and organisational performance to relevant colleagues to protect patients and to identify good practice and ensure the spread of knowledge amongst relevant colleagues
• Part 2 Cremation Form Completion process
• Working knowledge of practice in a healthcare environment,
• Up to date knowledge of clinical causes of death, together with death certification requirements and processes.
• Ability to distinguish between natural and unnatural causes of death and when death must be reported to, and investigated by, a coroner.
• Awareness of equality and diversity issues within the community and a demonstrable ability to understand the requirements of diverse faith groups
• Medical degree. Held a GMC licence to practice for minimum 5 years.
• Satisfactory on going yearly appraisal
• Successful completion of the approved core components of the national on-line training curriculum prior to undertaking case record reviews as a Medical Examiner
• Continuing professional development
• No current performance issues
• Good oral communication skills, including active listening skills, the ability to understand and summarise a discussion, ask appropriate questions, provide constructive challenge and give effective feedback.
• Ability to demonstrate transparency when explaining cause of death to bereaved families and make it easier to raise concerns.
• Able to work independently and autonomously and manage own workload.
• Demonstrates a commitment to and focus on quality.
• Good working relationships and credibility with professional colleagues and relevant stakeholders.

Desirable

• Experience of applying principles of Quality Improvement
• Chair of Speciality Mortality and Morbidity or Audit Group
• Knowledge of legal framework and relevant jurisdiction relating to the process of death certification
• Detailed knowledge of the relevant legislation and processes which apply to: ?coroners; ?registering deaths; ?cremations and burials
• Knowledge of clinical governance systems as they affect the work of professionals and organisations.
• Significant commitment to on-going personal education and development.
• oPromotes high standards to consistently improve patient outcomes.

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust

Address

George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust

College Street

Nuneaton

CV10 7DJ

Employer's website

http://www.geh.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)