Lead Medical Examiner Officer

Job summary

We are looking for a Lead Medical Examiner Officer to lead our Mortuary and Bereavement Service made up of Medical Examiner Officer's and Bereavement Officers at Colchester Hospital.

We are a busy but small department responsible for ensuring families are supported through the process of death certification and registration including all elements of the Medical Examiner process.

You will lead the team in providing comprehensive administrative support to the Medical Examiner service, playing a vital role in the timely and accurate management of documentation of the deceased. You will also act as the first point of contact for mortuary staff requiring advice and support, supervising day to day duties. You will be responsible for supporting your staff's wellbeing and ensuring they feel supported in what is often a difficult and emotionally complex role.

You will play a key role in managing the relationships with the bereaved, Medical Examiners and external stakeholder, including HM Coroner's Office, Registration Services and Funeral Directors. You will provide support, guidance and understanding and be an intermediary to resolved any issues relating the deceased.

There is little control over workload or workflow and demands can fluctuate considerably from day to day. Much of the activity is dictated by third party availability and the needs of service users. A proactive and organised approach is essential to ensure the timely completion of all required documentation.

Main duties of the job

• Be the Lead Medical Examiner Officer, supervising the day to day running of the service. Working collaboratively with the Medical Examiners and Anatomical Pathology Technicians to provide a service to the deceased and their bereaved.
• Provide oversight of the death certification process, including reviewing medical records, collating clinical information, and identifying cases requiring referral to the Coroner.
• Support the training, development and ongoing competency of Medical Examiner Officers and Bereavement Officers, promoting high standards of practice and continuous professional development.
• Lead on the development of local protocols, guidelines, and policies for the Medical Examiner service.
• Maintain and oversee robust databases for recording scrutiny activity and generating audit or performance reports.
• Support clinical governance and audits by identifying mortality trends, concerns, or learning to improve patient safety.
• Deliver training sessions for stakeholders such as clinicians, bereavement staff, and other services.
• Support the Medical Examiner service in the community settings and non-coronial death pathways.
• Ensure the needs of diverse groups are understood and respected within the ME system.
• Promote compassionate communication and uphold compliance with legal and procedural requirements.

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester Hospital

Turner Road

Colchester

CO4 5JL

Employer's website

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

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Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester Hospital

Turner Road

Colchester

CO4 5JL

Employer's website

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

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