We are seeking to appoint proactive and self-motivated individual to join our team of medical examiners at Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Medical Examiner Service.
Since 9 September 2024 when the service became statutory, alldeaths that do not require a coroner’s referral must be scrutinised by a medical examiner before the death can be registered.
As a Medical Examiner you will complete a proportionate scrutiny of the medical records of the deceased; make enquiries if necessary to confirm or establish the cause of death; and discuss the proposed cause of death with the attending practitioner.
Medical Examiners are senior doctors from a diverse variety of clinical specialties in secondary and primary care. You will work closely with our team of Medical Examiner Officers, who are vital to the efficient running of the service.
The Cornwall and IoS Medical Examiner Service is an independent team hosted by Royal Cornwall Hospital NHS Trust.
The successful applicant will
• provide greater safeguards for the public by ensuring independent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths.
• ensure the appropriate referral of deaths to the coroner.
• provide a better service for the bereaved and an opportunity for them to raise any concerns to a doctor not involved in the care of the decreased.
• improve the quality of death certification.
• support local learning and improvement by identifying matters that require escalation to local clinical governance and other processes.
• improve the quality of mortality data.
• take part in a rota to provide Medical Examiner cover out of hours.
The ME service interacts with many clinical specialities from both the acute and non-acute setting, strengthening links between the health services, coroners' offices and register offices.
Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust is the biggest provider of healthcare services in Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. Our three main sites are Royal Cornwall Hospital Truro, St Michael’s Hospital Hayle and West Cornwall Hospital Penzance, our staff and services are available across the region.
The Trust employs 5,000+ staff, has a budget of £380 million and 750 beds. We work with health and social care organisations -including NHS Kernow and NHS England- to ensure local healthcare needs are met. We provide acute medical, surgical and specialist services to around 500,000- which can increase significantly during busy holiday periods.
The Trust has teaching hospitals status as part of the University of Exeter Medical School. Keeping at the forefront of medical advances, we continually develop clinical services and are committed to maximising the range of specialist care offered locally.
We can offer you a rewarding career in a supportive working environment. We have extensive educational links to help you realise your full potential and develop skills to provide outstanding healthcare to the local community.
Enjoy an outstanding quality of life in a place that offers surfing beaches and fishing harbours to beautiful countryside and historic towns. With clean air, plenty of opportunities for outdoor activities and excellent schools, colleges and universities (including adult education) it is the ideal place for families and for you to develop your own career.
1. JOB DETAILS
Job Title: Medical Examiner
Remuneration: Regular sessions will be incorporated into job plan at standard programme activity rate (for consultant employed within RCHT) or appropriate point on consultant pay scale depending on previous medical experience (for doctor not otherwise employed by RCHT). Flexible sessions will be paid at fixed rate.
Care Group: Corporate (Medical Director)
Directorate/Specialty: Medical Examiner Services
Location: Royal Cornwall Hospital TR1 3LJ
2. CONTEXT; DIMENSIONS OF ROLE
Since 9 September 2024, all deaths that do not require a coroner’s referral must be scrutinised by a medical examiner before the death can be registered.
Medical examiners (MEs) are appropriately trained doctors who will verify clinical information on Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs) and ensure that the right referrals are made to the coroner for further investigation. A practising medical practitioner who has been on the general medical council register for a minimum of five years post registration can apply to be a medical examiner. It is recommended that medical examiners are consultant grade doctors from a range of disciplines (including GP principals). MEs will take a consistent approach to the formulation of MCCD content, which must be clinically accurate and reflect any discussions with the next of kin/informant. MEs must not have been involved in the care of the deceased patients for deaths they scrutinise.
3. KEY RELATIONSHIPS
· Internal:Medical Director, Lead Medical Examiner, Lead Medical Examiner Officer, Medical Examiners, Medical Examiner Officers, consultant medical staff, junior medical staff, service managers, nurses, clinical governance leads, infection control and mortuary staff, Clinical Effectiveness Department,Bereavement Officers.
• External:HM Coroner and officers, Police, Crematorium staff,Spiritual/Faith community leads, Registrars of births and deaths, Cornwall Foundation Trust and Community Hospital staff, GPs and practice staff, other health care providers including private hospitals, hospices etc, Local Authorities (including care homes and safeguarding teams), bereaved relatives, carers and executors/solicitors, Funeral Directors, National Medical Examiner, Regional leads for ME system.
4. DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES
Medical Examiners must be registered with a license to practise in the UK by the GMC, with at least five years experience. The candidate must have been registered as a medical practitioner throughout the previous five years as at the date of appointment.
Main duties
1. 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.
2. To support those doctors who call for medical advice on suspected natural causes of death before they prepare an MCCD, and provide general medical advice to the coroner.
3. 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.
4. To discuss and explain the cause of death with next of kin/informants in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner. It is anticipated that such discussions will be predominately conducted through telephone conversations where barriers to understanding information may exist.
5. 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.
6. To maintain comprehensive records of all deaths scrutinised and undertake analysis to provide information to the National Medical Examiner’s office.
7. To maintain up to date working knowledge of all necessary IT systems.
8. To participate in relevant clinical governance activities relating to death certification including audits, mortality review processes and investigations regarding formal complaints about patient care.
9. To support the training of junior doctors in their understanding of death certification and promote good practice in accurate completion of MCCDs.
10.To work with medical examiner officers (MEOs), delegating duties as appropriate.
11.To engage with lead ME and lead MEO for the region.
12.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.
13.To participate in the ME rota and show flexibility in filling rota gaps.
14.To participate in the Out of Hours ME rota.
This advert closes on Sunday 19 Jan 2025