Medical Examiner

Job overview

We are looking to expand our Medical Examiner Service.  Routine mortality reviews of all inpatient deaths have been taking place at Luton & Dunstable Hospital since 2018 providing scrutiny for all inpatient deaths at the hospital, and we have developed an excellent working relationship with our Superintendent Registrar, Coroner and Coroner’s Officers locally. We have been working with two local GP’s to develop a streamlined process which will allow Luton & Bedfordshire GP practices to refer deaths to the service for review. This has been trialled with a group of three practices over the past few months, and it is now ready to be offered to all other practices in the area. We are a supportive, experienced and dynamic team from a range of clinical backgrounds, and we are now looking to recruit new medical practitioners to the team to deal with the doubling of workload that will accompany this imminent change. As a new Medical Examiner, you will be supported by the team as we grow the service. Training is hosted by the Royal College of Pathologists with peer support being provided in the new role by the existing medical examiners. This is a highly rewarding role that provides essential safeguards within the death certification process, provides support to the bereaved, supports correct referral to HM Coroner and supports system wide learning and improvement.

Main duties of the job

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current and proposed reformed processes of certification, investigation by coroners and registration of deaths.
• To scrutinise the certified causes of death offered by attending doctors in a way that is proportionate, consistent and compliant with the proposed national protocol.
• To discuss and explain the cause of death with next of kin/informants in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner. It is expected that such discussions will be predominately conducted through telephone conversations where barriers to understanding information may exist. These discussions may be delegated to a Medical Examiners Officer if appropriate
• Medical Examiners are not allowed to scrutinise the death of any patient whose care they have been involved in. These posts are being created to build capacity in preparation for the introduction of the mandatory review of all deaths by a Medical Examiner before registration can occur. To ensure that all users of the ME system are treated with respect and are not discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability. A degree of flexibility, and some weekend working is likely to be required, but will not be unduly onerous: exact details will depend on the legislation currently being drawn up by the Government. To engage with lead ME and lead MEO for the region. To adopt a collaborative working relationship with other MEs by sharing experiences and expertise to support peer learning and set uniform standards of service delivery.
• To ensure that all users of the ME system are treated with respect and are not discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
• A degree of flexibility, and some weekend working is likely to be required, but will not be unduly onerous: exact details will depend on the legislation currently being drawn up by the Government.
• To engage with lead ME and lead MEO for the region.
• To adopt a collaborative working relationship with other MEs by sharing experiences and expertise to support peer learning and set uniform standards of service delivery.