Job summary
Medical Examiners are appropriately trained senior doctors who verify clinical information on Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs), to ensure appropriate referrals to the Coroner and accuracy and consistency of MCCD content. They are responsible for the independent scrutiny of the documentation and circumstances arising from a patient's death.
We are currently seeking to employ 1 Medical Examiner to join the team based at the Northern General Hospital, working 1 PA per week. To be eligible to apply you must be a Sheffield CCG based General Practitioner who has been registered as a General Practitioner throughout the previous five years as at the date of appointment. You must also be registered with the GMC with a full licence to practice.
You will be paid a spot salary in line with the starting point of the 2003 Consultant pay scale currently at £93,666 per annum (pro rata). This salary point will increase in line with national cost of living increases as Announced. You will be employed directly by the Trust for this activity.
Main duties of the job
As outlined in included Job description with key aspects included in brief below:
To ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current processes of certification, investigation (by HMC) and registration of deaths within the Local Authority
Support those doctors who call for advice on suspected natural causes of death before they prepare an MCCD, and provide general medical advice to the coroner and their designated officers
Providing out of hours cover for faith related death
Scrutinise 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, undertake analysis and provide information as required to the ONS and locally for Learning from Deaths and clinical governance processes
Communicate to bereaved relatives cause of death in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner, which respects different faith, cultural, ethnic and diversity consideration
Work closely with the Medical Director's office and CCG in supporting the Learning from Deaths polic
Completion of Part 5 cremation forms, generating funding for the Medical examiner service if reintroduced in the future.
About us
Located on rolling hills and dissected by river valleys, Sheffield is one of the greenest and most wooded cities in Europe. More than a third of the city lies inside the beautiful Peak District National Park, and it is virtually surrounded by open countryside. Its central location and excellent transport links also means it is less than two hours from most major metropolitan areas.
Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK's busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. This is an exceptional opportunity to join an award winning and internationally recognised team, with a focus on innovation, research and high quality care, as well as family friendly working, and we are keen to discuss with individuals about how we can support their ambitions
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Medical Examiners office is responsible for scrutinising and confirming the cause of deaths of patients in Sheffield, with a large proportion having occurred at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. The office currently has a trust lead Medical Examiner, eleven STH Medical Examiners, one Lead Medical Examiners Officer and three Medical Examiners officers, predominantly based at the Northern General campus. The Medical Examiners office will offer a bespoke training package to successful candidates, dependent upon clinical experience to date.
JOB PURPOSE:
In 2007, in response to the recommendations of the Shipman Inquiry, the Department of Health called for reform of the current death certification process. Based upon the Inquirys findings, the DoH proposed a new role of Medical Examiner be established within healthcare environments.
Medical Examiners are appropriately trained senior doctors who verify clinical information on Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs), to ensure appropriate referrals to the Coroner and accuracy and consistency of MCCD content. They are responsible for the independent scrutiny of the documentation and circumstances arising from a patients death. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and the Sheffield CCG have committed to expand the existing Medical Examiner function to encompass ALL acute and community deaths and as such comply with the National Learning from Deaths framework. The Medical Examiner will work within the established Medical Examiners office at the Northern General Hospital, on behalf of the Medical Director, to support the Trusts Learning from Deaths policy and Sheffield CCG governance mechanisms.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:Communicate with and advise:
- Medical Director
- Deputy Medical Directors
- Head of Patient and Healthcare Governance
- Trust Lead Medical Examiner
- Medical Examiner and Medical Examiner Officer Colleagues
- Clinical Effectiveness Manager
- Clinical Directors
- Clinical Leads
- Chief Nurse
- Deputy Chief Nurse
- Nurse Directors and Group General Managers
- Governance Leads
- CCG
Please refer to the attached Job Description for further information.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Medical Examiners office is responsible for scrutinising and confirming the cause of deaths of patients in Sheffield, with a large proportion having occurred at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. The office currently has a trust lead Medical Examiner, eleven STH Medical Examiners, one Lead Medical Examiners Officer and three Medical Examiners officers, predominantly based at the Northern General campus. The Medical Examiners office will offer a bespoke training package to successful candidates, dependent upon clinical experience to date.
JOB PURPOSE:
In 2007, in response to the recommendations of the Shipman Inquiry, the Department of Health called for reform of the current death certification process. Based upon the Inquirys findings, the DoH proposed a new role of Medical Examiner be established within healthcare environments.
Medical Examiners are appropriately trained senior doctors who verify clinical information on Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs), to ensure appropriate referrals to the Coroner and accuracy and consistency of MCCD content. They are responsible for the independent scrutiny of the documentation and circumstances arising from a patients death. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and the Sheffield CCG have committed to expand the existing Medical Examiner function to encompass ALL acute and community deaths and as such comply with the National Learning from Deaths framework. The Medical Examiner will work within the established Medical Examiners office at the Northern General Hospital, on behalf of the Medical Director, to support the Trusts Learning from Deaths policy and Sheffield CCG governance mechanisms.
WORKING RELATIONSHIPS:Communicate with and advise:
- Medical Director
- Deputy Medical Directors
- Head of Patient and Healthcare Governance
- Trust Lead Medical Examiner
- Medical Examiner and Medical Examiner Officer Colleagues
- Clinical Effectiveness Manager
- Clinical Directors
- Clinical Leads
- Chief Nurse
- Deputy Chief Nurse
- Nurse Directors and Group General Managers
- Governance Leads
- CCG
Please refer to the attached Job Description for further information.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- General Practitioner registered with the GMC with a licence to practise with at least five years' General Practitioner experience. The candidate must have been registered as a General Practitioner throughout the previous five years as at the date of appointment.
Desirable
- Candidate will have successfully completed the approved components of the national on-line training curriculum as a precondition of employment as a Medical Examiner, in addition to successful completion of the 'face to face' component of the national training curriculum within six months of appointment [Note: access to eLfH on-line training will be available to all Medical /Dental Practitioners registered with a licence to practice in the UK by the GMC/GDC]
Clinical Experience
Essential
- Working knowledge of practice in a healthcare environment, in the UK.
Teaching and Training
Essential
- Ability to identify good practice and ensure the spread of knowledge amongst relevant colleagues
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Commitment to maintain knowledge and keep skills up to date
Management and Administration
Desirable
- IT competent, for the purposes of efficient scrutiny and routine analysis of information for local clinical governance and public health surveillance
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Ability to manage an information-based process under tight timescales
- Good oral and written communication skills with an ability to communicate effectively within own team and with people in other disciplines (medical examiner's officer, attending Practitioner, Senior Coroner and their officers, the Police, Funeral Directors and Registrars of birth and deaths)
- Good organisational and leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to work within own team and closely with people in other disciplines.
- Demonstrates behaviour consistent with PROUD values (see appendix)
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- General Practitioner registered with the GMC with a licence to practise with at least five years' General Practitioner experience. The candidate must have been registered as a General Practitioner throughout the previous five years as at the date of appointment.
Desirable
- Candidate will have successfully completed the approved components of the national on-line training curriculum as a precondition of employment as a Medical Examiner, in addition to successful completion of the 'face to face' component of the national training curriculum within six months of appointment [Note: access to eLfH on-line training will be available to all Medical /Dental Practitioners registered with a licence to practice in the UK by the GMC/GDC]
Clinical Experience
Essential
- Working knowledge of practice in a healthcare environment, in the UK.
Teaching and Training
Essential
- Ability to identify good practice and ensure the spread of knowledge amongst relevant colleagues
Continuous Professional Development
Essential
- Commitment to maintain knowledge and keep skills up to date
Management and Administration
Desirable
- IT competent, for the purposes of efficient scrutiny and routine analysis of information for local clinical governance and public health surveillance
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Ability to manage an information-based process under tight timescales
- Good oral and written communication skills with an ability to communicate effectively within own team and with people in other disciplines (medical examiner's officer, attending Practitioner, Senior Coroner and their officers, the Police, Funeral Directors and Registrars of birth and deaths)
- Good organisational and leadership skills with a demonstrated ability to work within own team and closely with people in other disciplines.
- Demonstrates behaviour consistent with PROUD values (see appendix)
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).
