Band 5 - Medical Examiner Officer, Corporate
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Job summary
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust has an exciting opportunity for a Medical Examiner Officer (MEO) to join the West Hertfordshire Medical Examiners Service. This role is part of the national implementation of the Medical Examiner service in England and Wales, which will become statutory from April 2024.
The Medical Examiner Service has been introduced to:
- Strengthen safeguards for the public by providing robust, systematic and independent scrutiny of all deaths not referred directly to the Coroner.
- Improve the quality of death certification, providing advice based on a review of relevant health records.
- Avoid unnecessary distress for the bereaved by answering questions about the care given and the certified cause of death, working alongside Bereavement Services
We would like to invite applications from anyone with degree level education or equivalent experience, and either with a professional clinical background or relevant experience in the bereavement or coroner service.
We are seeking to recruit individuals from a wide range of backgrounds, including nurses, allied health professionals, biomedical scientists, paramedics, and highly experienced bereavement officers.
Main duties of the job
Working under delegation from the Lead Medical Examiner and Lead MEO, the MEO will support with the scrutiny and process of death certification within the Medical Examiner Service. This will require a combination of skills and knowledge, compassion, sensitivity, and a commitment to engage with bereaved families.
The MEO will review patient records to gather information for the Medical Examiner, so a good working knowledge of medical language and clinical understanding are essential.
The post holder will provide administrative skills to support Medical Examiners in scrutinizing deaths ensuring necessary paperwork is accurate and complete.
The MEO will contact the next of kin to discuss the circumstances of death, to enquire about any concerns they may have about care, and to explain the proposed cause of death and wording of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This requires excellent communication skills, a good knowledge of clinical information and medical terminology.
They will additionally be a point of contact and source of advice for healthcare professionals from elsewhere in the organisation, outside of the Trust and both the Coroners' Office and Registration services.
About us
There has never been a more exciting time to join West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust! Major redevelopment works are planned as part of the New Hospital Programme. These will be most dramatic at Watford General Hospital where up to 90% of buildings will be new.
The trust has recently gained 'teaching hospital' status which reflects the dedicated work of many teams and individuals who have set the standard for delivering high quality training, learning and education at all levels of the workforce.
We encourage and welcome people with disabilities. If you need help, please ask.
We reserve the right to close this advert early due to the volume of applicants. Please apply as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
If you do not hear back within 3 weeks of your application, please assume you have been unsuccessful on this occasion.
Details
Date posted
26 September 2023
Pay scheme
Agenda for change
Band
Band 5
Salary
£29,828 to £36,311 a year inc. HCA
Contract
Permanent
Working pattern
Full-time
Reference number
360-E-5046
Job locations
Watford General Hospital
Watford
WD18 0HB
Employer details
Employer name
West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address
Watford General Hospital
Watford
WD18 0HB
Employer's website
http://www.westhertshospitals.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)
Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Supporting documents
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