Description:
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.
The main responsibilities of the ME are to:
- ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current processes of certification, investigation (by coroners) and registration of deaths within a Local Authority area;
- 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;
- scrutinise the certified causes of all in-scope deaths in a way that is compliant with the proposed national protocol;
- maintain comprehensive records of all deaths scrutinised and undertake analysis and provide information as required to ONS & locally for clinical governance purposes;
- work with any other local medical examiner(s) in LA/LHB or elsewhere to arrange reciprocal cover for holidays and other periods of absence and also to ensure that there is no potential conflict of interest between the medical examiner and the death being scrutinised;
- explain to bereaved relatives cause of death in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner, which respects different faith, cultural, ethnic and diversity considerations;
- Support the training of junior doctors in completion of MCCDs and provide feedback on accuracy of certification locally.
Person specification
Education & Experience
Essential criteria
- Medical practitioner registered and licensed to practise in the UK by the GMC, with at least five years of experience. The candidate must have been registered as a medical practitioner with a licence to practise throughout the previous five years as at the date of appointment
- Candidate will have successfully completed the approved components of the national on-line training curriculum as a precondition of employment as a Medical Examiner. Confirmation of appointment is subject to successful completion of ‘face to face’ component of the national training curriculum. [Note: access to on-line training will be available to all medical practitioners registered & licensed to practice in the UK by the GMC]
- Working knowledge of clinical practice in a healthcare environment, preferably in the UK.
- Up to date knowledge of clinical causes of death, together with death certification requirements and processes
- Ability to demonstrate proportionate and professional judgement to determine the degree to which independent scrutiny is pursued where death certificates have been issued
- Commitment to maintain knowledge and keep skills up to date.
- Ability to manage an information-based process under tight timescales