Job summary
Medical examiners (MEs) are appropriately trained doctors who will verify clinical information on Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs) and ensure that the right referrals are made to the coroner for further investigation. A practising medical practitioner who has been on the general medical council register for a minimum of five years post registration can apply to be a medical examiner. It is recommended that medical examiners 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 and reflect any discussions with the next of kin/informant. MEs must not have been involved in the care of the deceased patients for deaths they scrutinise.
Main duties of the job
MEs should be aware of how their personal communication style impacts on others and be able to adapt their approach to suit a variety of situations and audiences. This will require:
- Highly evolved self-awareness and empathetic skills to liaise effectively and sympathetically with bereaved families.
- The ability to demonstrate and combine appropriate levels of compassion with professionalism and discretion.
- Being open to constructive criticism, ideas, and solutions
- Acting as a positive role model and interacting appropriately with all stakeholders including MEOs, other MEs, the bereaved and the coroner
- Having the integrity to gain trust and comply with the independent nature of the ME role in the context of other clinical specialty duties.
About us
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
Our services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
- Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme.
You will be expected to undertake the Trusts' commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
Job description
Job responsibilities
MEs must have up-to-date knowledge of medical conditions and treatments and be able to exercise judgement about when to seek specialist advice.
MEs must have detailed knowledge of the relevant legislation and processes which apply to:
- The determination of whether a death is natural or unnatural.
- Deaths that must be reported to the coroner.
- Deaths abroad where bodies are returned to England and Wales for disposal.
- Deaths where relatives wish to transport the body abroad for disposal.
- Certifying and registering deaths and the regulations to authorise cremation or burials of stillbirths abroad.
Quality and Audit
MEs will be required to participate in any relevant governance activities relating to scrutiny and confirmation of the cause of death where concerns have been raised by the next of kin/informant of the deceased and/or clinical staff and ME scrutiny.
MEs will facilitate routine analysis of MCCD information to identify trends, patterns and unusual features of deaths and report, as required, firstly to the regional Lead ME and ultimately to the National Medical Examiners office.
MEs will provide information to local Child Death Overview panels in respect of all child deaths which are not being investigated by the coroner.
Job description
Job responsibilities
MEs must have up-to-date knowledge of medical conditions and treatments and be able to exercise judgement about when to seek specialist advice.
MEs must have detailed knowledge of the relevant legislation and processes which apply to:
- The determination of whether a death is natural or unnatural.
- Deaths that must be reported to the coroner.
- Deaths abroad where bodies are returned to England and Wales for disposal.
- Deaths where relatives wish to transport the body abroad for disposal.
- Certifying and registering deaths and the regulations to authorise cremation or burials of stillbirths abroad.
Quality and Audit
MEs will be required to participate in any relevant governance activities relating to scrutiny and confirmation of the cause of death where concerns have been raised by the next of kin/informant of the deceased and/or clinical staff and ME scrutiny.
MEs will facilitate routine analysis of MCCD information to identify trends, patterns and unusual features of deaths and report, as required, firstly to the regional Lead ME and ultimately to the National Medical Examiners office.
MEs will provide information to local Child Death Overview panels in respect of all child deaths which are not being investigated by the coroner.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Full registration with the GMC and license to practice in the UK
- MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
- Minimum 5 years' experience as a fully registered medical practitioner
Skills
Essential
- Completion of the 26 RCPath core e-learning modules (prior to appointment) 10 CPD credits
- Up-to-date knowledge of medical conditions, treatments and causes of death
- Understanding of the legal frameworks associated with death certification processes
- Knowledge of local and national clinical governance systems and how they affect the work of professionals and organisations.
- Ability to identify available data sources to support the detection and analysis of concerns and to recognise gaps in available knowledge
- Ability to identify good practice and ensure the spread of knowledge amongst relevant colleagues
- Ability to report sub-standard clinical and organisational performance to relevant colleagues to protect patients.
- IT competent, for the purposes of efficient scrutiny and routine analysis of information
Desirable
- Completion of the face-to-face training day (mandatory within 6 months of appointment) 6 CPD credits
- Agreement to complete the remaining 61 RCPath e-learning modules within 1 year of appointment
- Awareness of equality and diversity issues within the community and a demonstrable ability to understand the requirements of diverse faith groups
Other
Essential
- Have the resilience to manage own reaction to frequently distressing situations and support others within the team
- Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully within own team and with people in other disciplines (medical examiner's officer, attending practitioner, senior coroner, the police, funeral director, & Registrar)
- Ability to communicate effectively, with empathy, professionalism, and discretion with the relatives or representatives of the deceased, in difficult and emotional situations
- Ability to demonstrate proportionate and professional judgement to sustain integrity and independence, particularly where there is the potential for a conflict of interest
- Ability to work as a part of a multidisciplinary team with a fluctuating workload, competing priorities and numerous interruptions.
- Ability to manage and comply with sensitive information-based processes under tight timescales
- Proactive and self-motivated with a flexible working approach
Desirable
- Ability to assist or deliver training to enhance skills within the ME's team and junior doctors in the process of death certification
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Full registration with the GMC and license to practice in the UK
- MBBS or equivalent medical qualification
- Minimum 5 years' experience as a fully registered medical practitioner
Skills
Essential
- Completion of the 26 RCPath core e-learning modules (prior to appointment) 10 CPD credits
- Up-to-date knowledge of medical conditions, treatments and causes of death
- Understanding of the legal frameworks associated with death certification processes
- Knowledge of local and national clinical governance systems and how they affect the work of professionals and organisations.
- Ability to identify available data sources to support the detection and analysis of concerns and to recognise gaps in available knowledge
- Ability to identify good practice and ensure the spread of knowledge amongst relevant colleagues
- Ability to report sub-standard clinical and organisational performance to relevant colleagues to protect patients.
- IT competent, for the purposes of efficient scrutiny and routine analysis of information
Desirable
- Completion of the face-to-face training day (mandatory within 6 months of appointment) 6 CPD credits
- Agreement to complete the remaining 61 RCPath e-learning modules within 1 year of appointment
- Awareness of equality and diversity issues within the community and a demonstrable ability to understand the requirements of diverse faith groups
Other
Essential
- Have the resilience to manage own reaction to frequently distressing situations and support others within the team
- Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully within own team and with people in other disciplines (medical examiner's officer, attending practitioner, senior coroner, the police, funeral director, & Registrar)
- Ability to communicate effectively, with empathy, professionalism, and discretion with the relatives or representatives of the deceased, in difficult and emotional situations
- Ability to demonstrate proportionate and professional judgement to sustain integrity and independence, particularly where there is the potential for a conflict of interest
- Ability to work as a part of a multidisciplinary team with a fluctuating workload, competing priorities and numerous interruptions.
- Ability to manage and comply with sensitive information-based processes under tight timescales
- Proactive and self-motivated with a flexible working approach
Desirable
- Ability to assist or deliver training to enhance skills within the ME's team and junior doctors in the process of death certification
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
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).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
