Job summary
Band: NHS Agenda for Change Band 6 - £37,338 to £44,962 per annum pro rota
Hours: Consideration will be given to both full time and part time applicants.
Contract Type: 2 Permanent positions are available.
Portsmouth Medical Examiner Service has been providing scrutiny for over 5 years and providing support to the bereaved. Now that the statutory system is well underway, we are looking for Senior MEOs to manage the office day to day, take responsibility for staff education and development and support the Lead MEO in developing our service further. Our aims and ethos are to ensure quality, consistent scrutiny and nurture a learning environment where real change can be facilitated.
Main duties of the job
As a Senior Medical Examiner Officeryou will:
- support the management and leadership of the MEO team.
- support the co-ordination the Medical Examiner service to ensure timely and efficient completion of certification processes required after a death.
- support medical examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death.
- be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals, HM Coroner and registration services, involved in the death certification process.
- support the Lead MEO and Lead ME in developing protocols, guidelines and policies for the development and delivery of the Medical Examiner Service across the acute trust and the community
About us
Here at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust, we are proud to provide expert, compassionate care for our local population. We are ranked as the third in the country for research, embedding education and training across the organisation. Our main hub is the Queen Alexandra Hospital, which is one of the largest hospitals on the south coast employing over 8,700 staff.
Our patients come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds because it makes our hospital stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for getting it right for patients, colleagues, and our community, you will find a home at Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust.
Job description
Job responsibilities
All MEOs support medical examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death and have a vital role inexplaining cause(s) of death proposed for the death certificate to the bereaved. This includes answering their questions, clarifying any terminology or misunderstandings, and signposting appropriately in cases of disagreement or concern.
All roles within our service are provided with ongoing support and professional development according to your individual needs.
As a large acute hospital, there are many opportunities for development and these are encouraged, you will be given excellent benefits as well. We warmly welcome your applications and should you have any queries, please get in contact with gemma.wakenshaw@porthosp.nhs.uk.
Job description
Job responsibilities
All MEOs support medical examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death and have a vital role inexplaining cause(s) of death proposed for the death certificate to the bereaved. This includes answering their questions, clarifying any terminology or misunderstandings, and signposting appropriately in cases of disagreement or concern.
All roles within our service are provided with ongoing support and professional development according to your individual needs.
As a large acute hospital, there are many opportunities for development and these are encouraged, you will be given excellent benefits as well. We warmly welcome your applications and should you have any queries, please get in contact with gemma.wakenshaw@porthosp.nhs.uk.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Degree Level and/or significant experience in a relevant field
- Advanced communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved and senior level professionals.
- Qualified Medical Examiner Officer
Desirable
- Completed e-learning MEO core training modules (or complete prior to starting in the post.)
- Completed Face to face MEO RCPath training (or complete within 3-6 months of taking up this post)
- If a registered professional, to maintain an effective and valid professional registration.
- Leadership or management qualification
Experience
Essential
- Leading and influencing teams to achieve objectives.
- Working with people in sensitive and emotional situations (both professional colleagues and service user)
- Managing and implementing change in complex clinical environments.
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting with multi-disciplinary teams across organisational boundaries.
- Experience of preparing, developing, and delivering training of staff from different levels and disciplines.
- Writing reports and presentations.
- Familiarity with HR and governance procedures.
- Experience of working as a Medical Examiner Officer.
- Experience of supporting the bereaved.
Additional criteria
Essential
- Excellent knowledge of clinical/medical terminology that enables informed discussion about causes and circumstances of death
- Knowledge of the Coroner and Justice Act 2009 with reference to the medical examiner system.
- Full understanding of the medical examiners system operational remits and working relationships with Bereavement services.
- Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
- Ability to lead a team and organise own and the team's fluctuating workload around competing priorities.
- Competent in the use of IT software systems (including Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Teams) and handling sensitive personal identifiable data, with understanding of Caldicott Principles
Desirable
- Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to Degree Level and/or significant experience in a relevant field
- Advanced communication skills with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved and senior level professionals.
- Qualified Medical Examiner Officer
Desirable
- Completed e-learning MEO core training modules (or complete prior to starting in the post.)
- Completed Face to face MEO RCPath training (or complete within 3-6 months of taking up this post)
- If a registered professional, to maintain an effective and valid professional registration.
- Leadership or management qualification
Experience
Essential
- Leading and influencing teams to achieve objectives.
- Working with people in sensitive and emotional situations (both professional colleagues and service user)
- Managing and implementing change in complex clinical environments.
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting with multi-disciplinary teams across organisational boundaries.
- Experience of preparing, developing, and delivering training of staff from different levels and disciplines.
- Writing reports and presentations.
- Familiarity with HR and governance procedures.
- Experience of working as a Medical Examiner Officer.
- Experience of supporting the bereaved.
Additional criteria
Essential
- Excellent knowledge of clinical/medical terminology that enables informed discussion about causes and circumstances of death
- Knowledge of the Coroner and Justice Act 2009 with reference to the medical examiner system.
- Full understanding of the medical examiners system operational remits and working relationships with Bereavement services.
- Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
- Ability to lead a team and organise own and the team's fluctuating workload around competing priorities.
- Competent in the use of IT software systems (including Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Teams) and handling sensitive personal identifiable data, with understanding of Caldicott Principles
Desirable
- Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death.
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.
