Job summary
Medical Examiner/ Bereavement Officer
Department: Bereavement
Band 5
Hours: 7.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated person to assist the Medical Examiner Lead in supporting the Medical Examiner Service hosted by the trust for 12 months.
We are seeking to appoint someone who is a committed and highly organised individual with leadership skills, to be the point of contact for staff and bereaved relatives in respect of the Medical Examiner Service providing a polite, friendly and professional approach with all grades of staff and external professions.
The job will involve supporting the medical examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death. To be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals and Coroner and registration services. In this challenging post, the post holder will be required to handle a diverse workload and demonstrate a proficiency in prioritising work schedules, working autonomously to support the Medical Examiners Service in the scrutiny of the cause of death of deceased patients.
The post holder is expected to demonstrate leadership skills and aptitude in the care of the bereaved. The nature of the post requires the post holder to convey complex information in a clear, concise, and appropriate manner.
Interview date w/c 04 May 2026.
Main duties of the job
We care We communicate We collaborate We contribute
"- NHS Survey, 2024'' Strong 81.2% of additional clinical services feel care of patients is their top priority.
Purpose of Post:
To support medical examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death. To be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals and coroner and registration services.
Medical Examiner Officers manage cases from initial notificati0n through to completion and communication with the registrar. They will be a constant presence in the office, enabling consistency across medical examiners who usually work part-time and come from a range of specialties.
Medical Examiner Officers will obtain and carry out a preliminary review of all medical records (and additional details where required) to develop a case file setting out the circumstances of each death for the Medical Examiner. This will require them to work with the Cornoer's officer, Registrars, Bereavement Officers, Complaints Manager, Legal Serivces and others. Their work is analogous to that of Coroner's Officers assisting the Coroner.
About us
Milton Keynes University Hospital, in proud partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital committed to advancing patient care through cutting-edge research and education. With a "Good" rating from the CQC and significant investment underway, this is an exciting time to join our team and grow your career.
As a medium sized general hospital, we provide a full range of general medical and surgical services, including a busy Emergency Department, Maternity, and Paediatrics. As the population of our city and surrounding areas continues to grow rapidly, we are expanding and enhancing our facilities to meet rising demand and improve access to care for all our communities.
We are also proud to offer a growing portfolio of specialist services. In January 2025 we opened our state-of-the-art Radiotherapy Centre, bringing advanced cancer treatment closer to home. Our services also include neonatology, specialist surgical care, and a wide range of diagnostics, supported by the new Community Diagnostic Centre at Whitehouse Health Centre.
Further investment is underway, including the construction of Oak Wards - a new ward block featuring two 24-bed wards - and the recently approved Women and Children's Centre, set to open by 2030.
Visit our website to explore the latest news and opportunities at MKUH - News - Milton Keynes University Hospital -
For further information about Milton Keynes please visit - Visit Milton Keynes
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patients death. Work with medical examiners to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the organisation.
- To establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the medical examiner.
- To assist in highlighting cases for assessment by the Structured Judgement Review team (SJR), Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), Clinical Governance teams and the Learning Disability Review Teams (LeDeR).
- To refer patients to the coroner for further investigation on approval by the medical examiner
- Maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the medical examiner system to ensure equality to any particular group defined by sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
- Discuss proposed causes of death with the qualified attending practitioner and advise about coroner referral.
- To have a good understanding of medical records and disease pathology.
- To be able to provide advice on terminology and causes of death, and to explain these and the Medical Examiners rational to Coroners Officers, Doctors, and those with no medical understanding.
- To have strong interpersonal skills and be comfortable with working with those who have had a bereavement.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patients death. Work with medical examiners to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the organisation.
- To establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the medical examiner.
- To assist in highlighting cases for assessment by the Structured Judgement Review team (SJR), Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), Clinical Governance teams and the Learning Disability Review Teams (LeDeR).
- To refer patients to the coroner for further investigation on approval by the medical examiner
- Maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of users of the medical examiner system to ensure equality to any particular group defined by sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
- Discuss proposed causes of death with the qualified attending practitioner and advise about coroner referral.
- To have a good understanding of medical records and disease pathology.
- To be able to provide advice on terminology and causes of death, and to explain these and the Medical Examiners rational to Coroners Officers, Doctors, and those with no medical understanding.
- To have strong interpersonal skills and be comfortable with working with those who have had a bereavement.
Please refer to the job description for further details.
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Educated to degree level, or evidence of study/equivalent practical experience at an advanced level; e.g. nursing and/or other clinical experience.
- Working knowledge of Office 365 and Microsoft Office Package
- To have an understanding of the medical terminology that enables informed discussions about causes/circumstances of death with bereaved families, clinicians, coroner and registration services.
- Knowledge of the statutory process around death certification legal frameworks and how the medical examiner system aligns with other related organisations and NHS initiatives.
Desirable
- Knowledge of cultural and faith beliefs which may impact requests with timescales and procedures following a death.
- Completion of Medical Examiner Officer e learning training
- Medical Examiner - elearning for healthcare
Experience
Essential
- Experience of using initiative to solve problems.
- Experience of working to deadlines
- Experience with operational/process management of a customer facing service where users may have unpredictable and emotionally charged needs.
Desirable
Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise workload
- Able to listen compassionately and offer appropriate support.
- Good organisational skills.
- Passion for Patient and Family Experience
- Triaging and resolution skills
- Building rapport with patients and staff as required.
- Building rapport with patients and staff as required.
Personal and people development
Essential
- Ability to work with people of all backgrounds without prejudice.
- Ability to embody and champion MKUH values.
- Keeps care for the bereaved family at the centre of the service.
oKeeps care for the bereaved family at the centre of the service.
Essential
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Kind and gentle manner
Desirable
- Empathetic style which picks up on specific barriers which may need to be overcome due to disability or grief.
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
Person Specification
Qualifications and knowledge
Essential
- Educated to degree level, or evidence of study/equivalent practical experience at an advanced level; e.g. nursing and/or other clinical experience.
- Working knowledge of Office 365 and Microsoft Office Package
- To have an understanding of the medical terminology that enables informed discussions about causes/circumstances of death with bereaved families, clinicians, coroner and registration services.
- Knowledge of the statutory process around death certification legal frameworks and how the medical examiner system aligns with other related organisations and NHS initiatives.
Desirable
- Knowledge of cultural and faith beliefs which may impact requests with timescales and procedures following a death.
- Completion of Medical Examiner Officer e learning training
- Medical Examiner - elearning for healthcare
Experience
Essential
- Experience of using initiative to solve problems.
- Experience of working to deadlines
- Experience with operational/process management of a customer facing service where users may have unpredictable and emotionally charged needs.
Desirable
Skills
Essential
- Able to prioritise workload
- Able to listen compassionately and offer appropriate support.
- Good organisational skills.
- Passion for Patient and Family Experience
- Triaging and resolution skills
- Building rapport with patients and staff as required.
- Building rapport with patients and staff as required.
Personal and people development
Essential
- Ability to work with people of all backgrounds without prejudice.
- Ability to embody and champion MKUH values.
- Keeps care for the bereaved family at the centre of the service.
oKeeps care for the bereaved family at the centre of the service.
Essential
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
- Kind and gentle manner
Desirable
- Empathetic style which picks up on specific barriers which may need to be overcome due to disability or grief.
Specific requirements
Essential
- Able to perform the duties of the post with reasonable aids and adaptations
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.
