Job summary
North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust (NWAFT) has introduced a Medical Examiner (ME) role as part of its mortality review process. Medical Examiners currently scrutinise all deaths that take place in our hospitals and the service is currently being extended to cover deaths in the community. We are particularly keen to recruit more Medical Examiners from a primary care background on this occasion so are limiting this recruitment round to GPs.
The NWAFT MEs are appropriately trained, experienced consultants or general practitioners who undertake screening of deaths in order to support the completion of death certificates, ensure appropriate referral to the coroner, answer any questions the family may have, and triage cases for Structured Judgement Review (SJR) or other clinical governance processes. All Medical Examiners scrutinise any current cases, irrespective of where the person died or the specialty of the ME.
Medical Examiners have professional independence in screening deaths but are accountable to the Medical Director and report to the Mortality Review Committee and Lead Medical Examiner for achieving agreed standards or levels of performance.
Main duties of the job
NWAFT Medical Examiners must be registered with a licence to practise in the UK by the GMC, with at least five years' post-registration experience. The candidate must have been registered as a medical practitioner throughout the previous five years by the date of appointment. The principal responsibilities of the ME 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
- 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
- Maintain comprehensive records of all deaths screened and provide input to 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 judgement in when and where to seek specialist advice in order to determine the appropriate level of scrutiny required.
See Job description for full details.
About us
There are currently ten medical examiners (MEs), each working between one and two 4-hour sessions per week, and four full-time medical examiner officers (MEOs). Two further MEs have been appointed but have not yet started. Three of the MEs come from a general practice background and we are keen to increase the number of GPs in the team.
To apply for this role please submit your CV.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See attached Job description for details of job role including person specifications required for this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
See attached Job description for details of job role including person specifications required for this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BM BS or equivalent medical registration.
- An experienced doctor with GP accreditation
- Full registration with the GMC and license to practice as a GP
- BLS or higher
- Safeguarding Level 3 for Children and vulnerable Adults Level 3
- Record of on-going CPD and learning
Desirable
- Higher qualification, e.g. MRCGP, DRCOG, ILS, ALS, PALS
- Have completed a paediatric assessment module as part of Paediatric advancement practitioner programme attainment of the required knowledge skills and competence to be able to undertake initial health assessments of Looked after Children
Professional Practice/Clinical Skills
Essential
- At least 6 months working in a Primary Care stting as a GP with exposure to both urgent and non-urgent healthcare
- Experience of patients of all ages...
- Experience of medicines management and prescribing
- Experience in supervising all grades of staff
- Experience of leading and developing health care services at a local level
Desirable
- Experience of assessing and managing patients with presenting with minor injury
- Experience of working in urgent care environment such as A&E, Walk In Centres
- Previous experience of undertaking initial health assessments for Looked after Children
Clinical Governance
Essential
- Will have an understanding of the political agenda and drivers influencing primary care provision.
- Sound knowledge of clinical governance
- Commitment to quality care.
Personal requirements, Communication
Essential
- Commitment and ability to organise professional self-development.
- Good leadership skills with the ability to influence and negotiate
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Clear understanding of professional responsibility and accountability
- Good organisational skills and ability to manage and prioritise own workload
- Excellent patient manner and interpersonal skills
- Good computer skills
- Well-developed interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
Leadership Skills and Flexibility
Essential
- Evidence of management experience.
- Evidence of good team working with peers and other senior colleagues.
- Flexible attitude and good communication skills.
- Ability to integrate into and share leadership of a multidisciplinary team
- IT and computer literacy
Desirable
- Has demonstrated ability to work under pressure and in difficult circumstances.
- To be able to demonstrate team leadership skills and work on own initiative
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- BM BS or equivalent medical registration.
- An experienced doctor with GP accreditation
- Full registration with the GMC and license to practice as a GP
- BLS or higher
- Safeguarding Level 3 for Children and vulnerable Adults Level 3
- Record of on-going CPD and learning
Desirable
- Higher qualification, e.g. MRCGP, DRCOG, ILS, ALS, PALS
- Have completed a paediatric assessment module as part of Paediatric advancement practitioner programme attainment of the required knowledge skills and competence to be able to undertake initial health assessments of Looked after Children
Professional Practice/Clinical Skills
Essential
- At least 6 months working in a Primary Care stting as a GP with exposure to both urgent and non-urgent healthcare
- Experience of patients of all ages...
- Experience of medicines management and prescribing
- Experience in supervising all grades of staff
- Experience of leading and developing health care services at a local level
Desirable
- Experience of assessing and managing patients with presenting with minor injury
- Experience of working in urgent care environment such as A&E, Walk In Centres
- Previous experience of undertaking initial health assessments for Looked after Children
Clinical Governance
Essential
- Will have an understanding of the political agenda and drivers influencing primary care provision.
- Sound knowledge of clinical governance
- Commitment to quality care.
Personal requirements, Communication
Essential
- Commitment and ability to organise professional self-development.
- Good leadership skills with the ability to influence and negotiate
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
- Clear understanding of professional responsibility and accountability
- Good organisational skills and ability to manage and prioritise own workload
- Excellent patient manner and interpersonal skills
- Good computer skills
- Well-developed interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to work effectively as part of a team
Leadership Skills and Flexibility
Essential
- Evidence of management experience.
- Evidence of good team working with peers and other senior colleagues.
- Flexible attitude and good communication skills.
- Ability to integrate into and share leadership of a multidisciplinary team
- IT and computer literacy
Desirable
- Has demonstrated ability to work under pressure and in difficult circumstances.
- To be able to demonstrate team leadership skills and work on own initiative
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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 (Opens in a new tab).
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 (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
