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 coroners 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 Examiners 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.