Medical Examiner

Description:

We are pleased to offer the opportunity for Medical Examiners to join the Nottingham Medical Examiners service which is hosted by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.

The service is currently expanding its remit in line with the Statutory legislation and will provide scrutiny of all deaths both in the acute hospital and community setting by April 2023. The service covers a diverse and challenging regional area and will provide scrutiny for over 8000 deaths per year.

Main duties of the job

We are now looking to expand the Medical Examiners team to ensure that we can provide a robust and flexible service which can incorporate the additional workload required. We now invite registered medical Consultants and GPs to join the service. You will ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current processes of scrutiny, certification, Coronial notification and the care of the bereaved within the local area.

You will support medical colleagues with advice and preparation of papers and ensure that records are kept within protocol. You will be empathetic and communicate well with bereaved families, respecting different faith, cultural, ethnic and diversity considerations at all times. You will be familiar with the role and function of the Coroner and able to present complex medical information in such a way as to assist the Coroner in deciding whether to investigate a death which they have been notified of.

The service is required to provide on call evening and on site weekend working which is currently structured on a flexible commitment basis. This commitment will be discussed on an individual basis at interview. Renumeration will be at Consultant/GP equivalent salary depending on previous experience.

Main duties

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.