Main area Medical Examiner Office Grade NHS AfC: Band 5 Contract Permanent Hours
* Full time
* Part time
37.5 hours per week (Full time Monday - Friday (08:00 - 16:00) OR part time (30.00 hours per week) with Wednesday only as the non-working day.) Job ref 196-COF10566-S
Employer Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Guy's & St Thomas' Hospital Town London Salary £35,964 - £43,780 p.a inc HCA (pro rata for part time) Salary period Yearly Closing 22/01/2025 23:59
Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services.
Job overview
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, H.M. Coroner and the registration services.
Main duties of the job
The Medical Examiner Office at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital scrutinises the deaths of all adult and paediatric patients at the Trust and all non-acute deaths in the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark.
You will be based at the Medical Examiner Office located at St Thomas’ Hospital, working alongside the Duty Medical Examiner for that day, the Lead Medical Examiner Officer, Medical Examiner Officers, and team of Bereavement Administrators. There may be a requirement for occasional cross-site working with travel between the Guy’s and St Thomas’ sites (and any satellite inpatient units where the occasional need arises).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patient’s death. Work with Medical Examiners to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the organisation.
To establish the circumstances of individual inpatient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify relevant clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the Medical Examiner.
To assist in highlighting cases for assessment by the Structured Judgement Review team (SJR), Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), Clinical Governance teams and the Learning Disability Review Teams (LeDeR).
To perform a preliminary review of all non-acute deaths referred to the Medical Examiner Office. Identifying relevant clinical and circumstantial information, liaising with primary care colleagues and general practitioners to source additional information where required, to enable scrutiny by the Medical Examiner.
To discuss cases with patients’ next of kin/representatives, explaining causes of death and medical terminology to them, where appropriate commensurate with your level of clinical knowledge.
To refer patients to H.M. Coroner for further investigation on approval by the Medical Examiner.
Maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the medical examiner system to ensure equality to any particular group defined by sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
Person specification
Professional/Statutory Registration
* Registration with a relevant regulatory body e.g. NMC, HCPC.
Qualifications and Education
* Educated to Bachelor’s degree level or equivalent practical experience at an advanced level working in a related field.
* The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved.
* A commitment to life-long learning and undertaking personal development opportunities.
* Completed e-learning MEO core training modules prior to starting in the post.
* Degree in a relevant discipline e.g. Nursing, Paramedic Science.
Skills, Knowledge and Ability
* General knowledge of clinical/medical terminology.
* Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders
* Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities.
* IT competent and an ability to quickly become competent in the use of new and potentially unfamiliar IT software systems. Competent in handling sensitive personal identifiable data.
* Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
* Professional appearance, manner and awareness of impact of own behaviour on others.
* Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances.
* Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death
* Knowledge of the Coroners & Justice Act 2009 and Notifications of Death Regulations 2019 in respect of the Medical Examiner system. Full understanding of the Medical Examiner system operational remit when incorporated within Bereavement Services or as a stand-alone office
Previous Experience
* Experience of working with people in sensitive and emotional situations
* Previous experience as a Medical Examiner Officer.
* Experience of working in a healthcare setting with multi-disciplinary teams across organisational boundaries.
Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership.
Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy.
As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends.
Your e-mail address is important to us - We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis.
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