The Medical Examiner Service has been introduced by NHS England to provide independent scrutiny of all deaths that are not investigated by the coroner. The service became statutory in September 2024 to ensure that all deaths that do not automatically require a Coroner referral are reviewed by the Medical Examiner team and communication with the bereaved is undertaken. The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Medical Examiner Service is hosted by Royal Cornwall Hospital Trust.
We have vacancies for full-time and part-time Medical Examiner Officers to join our team.
Medical Examiner Officers provide administrative support for Medical Examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and cause of death. They also act as a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals, and coroner and registration services. The successful candidates will have excellent organisational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Main duties of the job
To support medical examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death. To be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals, coroner and registration services. To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patient's death. To work with Medical Examiners to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients. 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 referral using the governance reporting systems in the Acute Trust, as well as referral using the clinical governance processes for deaths in the community (GP practices), community hospitals, hospices in Cornwall, and private healthcare. To highlight patients for referral to the coroner for further investigation, after review by the Medical Examiner. To maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the Medical Examiner system to ensure equality to any particular group defined by gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, or disability. To assist in the development of the service. About us
The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million. We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School. The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles. Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation. Job responsibilities
PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side. To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following: Identity Checks Professional registration and qualification checks Employment history and reference checks Occupational Health clearance Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check Right to work in the UK For further information please visit: NHS Employers We reserve the right to close this advert early. We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview. We may be able to offer sponsorship but this is not guaranteed. Person Specification
Education / Experience
Educated to Bachelor's degree level or equivalent working knowledge in a related field. General knowledge of clinical/medical terminology. Experience working with the bereaved / knowledge of the grieving process. Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances. Understanding of the Medical Examiner system. Knowledge of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system. Proven ability to work with staff and problem solve. Working knowledge of NHS IT systems. PRACTICAL AND INTELLECTUAL SKILLS (INCLUDING ANY SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE)
Knowledge of the grieving process. Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities. The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved. Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner. 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.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
To support medical examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death. To be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals, coroner and registration services. To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patient's death. To work with Medical Examiners to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients. 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 referral using the governance reporting systems in the Acute Trust, as well as referral using the clinical governance processes for deaths in the community (GP practices), community hospitals, hospices in Cornwall, and private healthcare. To highlight patients for referral to the coroner for further investigation, after review by the Medical Examiner. To maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the Medical Examiner system to ensure equality to any particular group defined by gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, or disability. To assist in the development of the service. About us
The Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust (RCHT) is the main provider of acute and specialist care services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. We serve a population of around 500,000 people - a figure that can increase significantly with visitors during the busiest times of the year. We employ approximately 6,700 staff and have a budget of approximately £580 million. We are a teaching hospital in partnership with the University of Exeter Medical School, University of Plymouth School of Nursing and Midwifery, and Peninsula Dental School. The Knowledge Spa on the Royal Cornwall Hospital site is the base for medical and nursing as well as ongoing education for health professions in clinical and non-clinical roles. Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we are continually developing our clinical services as well as our facilities and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care that can be offered locally. Allied to this is a growing reputation for research and innovation. Job responsibilities
PLEASE NOTE: To view the full Job Description and Person Specification, please click the supporting document on the right-hand side. To be an employee of the NHS you need to successfully complete the following: Identity Checks Professional registration and qualification checks Employment history and reference checks Occupational Health clearance Satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service check Right to work in the UK For further information please visit: NHS Employers We reserve the right to close this advert early. We may be able to offer flexible working. Please discuss at interview. We may be able to offer sponsorship but this is not guaranteed. Person Specification
Education / Experience
Educated to Bachelor's degree level or equivalent working knowledge in a related field. General knowledge of clinical/medical terminology. Experience working with the bereaved / knowledge of the grieving process. Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances. Understanding of the Medical Examiner system. Knowledge of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system. Proven ability to work with staff and problem solve. Working knowledge of NHS IT systems. PRACTICAL AND INTELLECTUAL SKILLS (INCLUDING ANY SPECIAL KNOWLEDGE)
Knowledge of the grieving process. Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities. The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved. Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner. 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.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
