Medical Examiner

The Medical Examiner (ME) system was introduced in 2019 by the Department of Health and Social Care in response to the recommendations of the Shipman Enquiry which called for reform of the death certification process. The role of the Medical Examiner is to promote robust and transparent scrutiny of the death certification process through independent review of clinical case notes and confirmation of cause of death in all patients including the review of all deaths in the local health community of West Northamptonshire - covering primary care and community and mental health Trusts.

The role requires knowledge and experience of the statutory process around death certification, legal frameworks and the relationship between the ME service and other related organisations including Coroner's office and Registration service.

The post holder must be registered with a licence to practice as a doctor in the UK by the GMC. It is recommended that Medical Examiners are consultant grade doctors from a range of disciplines or GP principals . They must have been on the Medical register for a minimum of 5 years.

Prior to employment the ME must have successfully completed the mandatory components of the national online Medical Examiner curriculum. Face to Face training must be completed within 3 months of starting in post.

Scrutinise the clinical notes and certified causes of death offered by attending doctors in a way that is proportionate, consistent and compliant with the proposed national protocol;

Discuss and explain the cause of death with the next of kin/informants in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner (predominantly conducted through telephone conversations);

Maintain comprehensive records of all deaths scrutinised and undertake analysis to provide information to the National Medical Examiner's office;

Participate in relevant activities relating to death certification including audits;

Support the training of junior doctors in their understanding of death certification and promote good practice in accurate completion of MCCDs;

Work collaboratively with other medical examiners in the local authority, sharing experiences and expertise to support peer learning and set uniform standards of service delivery;

Work with medical examiner officers (MEOs) delegating duties as appropriate , and engage with the lead ME and lead MEO for the region;

Be part of an OOH rota with other MEs to ensure urgent release of a body can be achieved if requested.

** Please submit your application as soon as possible as we reserve the right to close any adverts before the closing date once we have received sufficient applications**

Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust is one of the largest employers in the area and we are on an exciting journey. All our divisions are committed to doing things better, with more efficiency as we update, modernise, and advance. We have also entered a Group Model with neighbouring Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and become University Hospitals of Northamptonshire.

Our Excellence Values

• Compassion
• Accountability
• Respect
• Integrity
• Courage

We want to recruit the best people to deliver our services across the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire and help to unleash everyone's full potential.

The Hospital Group encourages applications from people who identify from all protected groups. We understand that we need to work with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and make sure the environment they work in is inclusive and collaborative.

We recognise the valuable contribution that the Armed Forces community make to our organisation. We have signed the Armed Forces Covenant and achieved Silver Award under the Armed Forces Employer Recognition Scheme.

We have active Networks that promote and support colleagues from all backgrounds. This ensures everyone feels supported and has a sense of belonging working for Kettering and Northampton General Hospitals.

For Key responsibilities - see previous section or full job description

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 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 stake holders 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.

The ME will be a source of expert knowledge and advice for health…