Job summary
If you are an experienced Consultant or General Practitioner willing to use your knowledge and expertise in the field of Pathology, join North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust to become our new Medical Examiner within the newly established Medical Examiner service.
The main base will be at Peterborough City Hospital, however, cross-site work will be required at Hinchingbrooke Hospital and around 50 primary care and private healthcare providers in the region. Our Medical Examiner service will expand from September 2024 to cover all non-coronial deaths for these secondary and primary healthcare providers.
We can offer a fixed term 3-year contract subject to annual appraisal and performance on a part-time basis (4 hours per week).
The main responsibilities of the role will be reviewing deaths to facilitate the completion of death certificates, ensuring appropriate referrals to the coroner, addressing any questions from families, and triaging cases for Structured Judgement Review (SJR) or other clinical governance processes.
Main duties of the job
The principal responsibilities of the role are to:
Screen the case records (paper and electronic) of patients who have died
Support doctors completing the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD)
Provide advice on the appropriate referral of cases to the coroner
Scrutinise current cases, regardless of the location of death.
Contact the deceased's next of kin to explain the cause of death in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner, which respects different faith, cultural, ethnic and diversity considerations
Ask the next of kin if they have any questions about the death certificate, the quality of care provided or any other matters relating to the patient's death
Complete cremation forms, where applicable, in line with current guidance
Maintain comprehensive records of all deaths screened and provide input to the analysis of mortality data
Comply with local protocols to ensure that each death is screened in a way that is robust, proportionate and consistent
Exercise judgment in when and where to seek specialist advice to determine the appropriate level of scrutiny required.
About us
We are dedicated to fostering diversity and inclusivity within our workforce and warmly welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, with a particular emphasis on encouraging those from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities, as well as candidates from our local area.
As part of our commitment to supporting our employees we offer a range of benefits including:
- Generous annual leave entitlement starting at 27 days and increasing to 29 days after five years of service and 33 days after 10 years of service, in addition to the national Bank Holidays (pro-rata for part time staff);
- Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme:
- Flexible working opportunities;
- Enhanced hourly rates for unsociable hours e.g. night shifts, weekends, bank holidays;
- Opportunities for career development and training to help you progress in your role;
- Wellbeing support and activities to promote a healthy work environment;
- Access to our in-house physiotherapy service;
- On-site canteens offering subsidised meals;
- Subsidised staff parking (currently free);
- Free Stagecoach Bus Travel to and from work within Cambridgeshire and Peterborough
We strive to create a supportive and inclusive workplace where employees feel valued and empowered to excel in their roles. Join us and become part of a team dedicated to making a positive difference in our community.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See attached full job description and person specification which can be found in the uploaded documents.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- oMedical degree
- oGMC licence to practise
- oSatisfactory ongoing yearly appraisal
Experience
Essential
- oMinimum of 5 years' experience at consultant level or as a GP
Desirable
- oExperience of undertaking clinical case note reviews as part of Mortality and Morbidity, SJR or serious incident process
Knowledge
Essential
- oWorking knowledge of practice in a healthcare environment
- oUp to date knowledge of clinical causes of death, together with death certification requirements and processes
- oKnowledge of clinical governance systems as they affect the work of professionals and organisations
Desirable
- oDetailed knowledge of the relevant legislation and processes which apply to coroners, registering deaths, cremations and burials
Key skills
Essential
- oGood written communication skills, including the ability to summarise clearly and accurately
- oGood oral communication skills, including the ability to understand and summarise a discussion, ask appropriate questions, provide challenge and give effective feedback
- oAbility to communicate effectively and with sensitivity with the relatives or representatives of the deceased when explaining the cause of death and to communicate with the bereaved of all faiths and communities in a sensitive and understanding manner
- oAbility to manage an information-based process under tight timescales
Desirable
- oIT competent, for the purposes of accessing medical records across a number of IT systems
Other
Essential
- oExcellent personal integrity, personal effectiveness and self-awareness
- oAble to work independently and autonomously and manage own workload
- oAble to make timely and informed decisions
- oGood working relationships and credibility with professional colleagues and relevant stakeholders
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website .
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants .
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website .
Employer details
Employer name
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Cross site working, either Peterborough or Hinchingbrooke Hospital sites.
Peterborough City Hospital
Peterborough
PE3 9GZ