East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Medical Examiner Officer

The closing date is 31 March 2026

Job summary

We are looking for a Medical Examiner Officer to join our Mortuary and Bereavement Team at Ipswich Hospital.

We are a busy but small department responsible for ensuring families are supported through the process of death certification and registration including all elements of the Medical Examiner process.

You will provide a comprehensive administrative support to the Medical Examiner service, playing a vital role in the timely and accurate management of documentation of the deceased. You will be a central point of contact for the bereaved, Medical Examiners and external stakeholder, including HM Coroner's Office, Registration Services and Funeral Directors.

There is little control over workload or workflow and demands can fluctuate considerably from day to day. Much of the activity is dictated by third party availability and the needs of service users. A proactive and organised approach is essential to ensure the timely completion of all required documentation. The bereaved need to be treated with sensitivity and the approach needs to be sufficiently flexible to adapt to the needs of individuals.

A band 4 developmental role would be considered for applicants who do not currently fulfil the specification for a band 5 post. You will be supported with face-to-face learning and competencies to complete the Medical Examiners RCPath qualification to then be signed off as competent using the National Framework to progress to the band 5.

Main duties of the job

You will provide essential administrative and coordination support within the Medical Examiner's Office, ensuring the timely and accurate management of processes of the deceased. The role requires excellent communication skills, with the ability to listen, question sensitively, and act as a key point of contact between clinicians, bereaved families, and partner organisations.

Working closely with Medical Examiners, doctors, ward staff, mortuary teams and external agencies, you will support the completion of Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCD), advise on certification requirements, and identify cases requiring referral to HM Coroner in line with statutory guidance. This includes reviewing medical records, collating relevant clinical information, and maintaining accurate documentation across multiple systems.

The role involves regular liaison with GP practices, funeral directors, registration services, chaplaincy, police, and other stakeholders to facilitate the release of the deceased and ensure all legal and procedural requirements are met.

A key aspect of the role is supporting bereaved families with compassion and professionalism, offering clear advice on next steps, registration processes, and funeral arrangements, while responding sensitively to cultural, religious, and individual needs.

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Date posted

19 March 2026

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£27,485 to £37,796 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

432-HR1424-25

Job locations

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience of working with bereaved families or within a customer focussed setting.
Experience of dealing with highly contentious and emotional situations.
Ability to communicate complex and potentially distressing information to the bereaved in a clear and tactful manner
Ability to communicate clearly with people with varied levels of understanding adapting the use of technical language to meet the needs of each individual.
Ability to work across professional boundaries with medical staff in different specialties.

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to A-Level or equivalent standard of education and/or evidence of study/equivalent practical experience at an advanced level.
Completion of the core modules of the ELearning for Medical Examiner's or willingness to complete this within 3 months of appointment
Completion of Face to face training for Medical Examiner's or willingness to complete this within 12 months of appointment.

Desirable

A commitment to the concept of lifelong learning and undertaking personal development opportunities.

Knowledge

Essential

Sound knowledge and understanding of death certification and registration processes and associated legislation including Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, Coroner's and Justice Act 2009, Cremation regulations 2018 and Human Tissue Act 2004.
IT Skills (Microsoft Outlook/ Word/ ICE, Evolve, and other Trust IT systems). The ability to learn and adapt to new systems quickly.

Desirable

An understanding of medical terminology that enables informed discussions about the causes/circumstances of deaths with bereaved families, clinicians, coroner and registration staff.
Knowledge of the special requirements of the various faith groups with an awareness of equality and diversity issues surrounding death certification & arrangements.
Working knowledge & experience of the Department of Health's Death Certification Reforms Medical Examiner system.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

Experience of working with bereaved families or within a customer focussed setting.
Experience of dealing with highly contentious and emotional situations.
Ability to communicate complex and potentially distressing information to the bereaved in a clear and tactful manner
Ability to communicate clearly with people with varied levels of understanding adapting the use of technical language to meet the needs of each individual.
Ability to work across professional boundaries with medical staff in different specialties.

Qualifications

Essential

Educated to A-Level or equivalent standard of education and/or evidence of study/equivalent practical experience at an advanced level.
Completion of the core modules of the ELearning for Medical Examiner's or willingness to complete this within 3 months of appointment
Completion of Face to face training for Medical Examiner's or willingness to complete this within 12 months of appointment.

Desirable

A commitment to the concept of lifelong learning and undertaking personal development opportunities.

Knowledge

Essential

Sound knowledge and understanding of death certification and registration processes and associated legislation including Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953, Coroner's and Justice Act 2009, Cremation regulations 2018 and Human Tissue Act 2004.
IT Skills (Microsoft Outlook/ Word/ ICE, Evolve, and other Trust IT systems). The ability to learn and adapt to new systems quickly.

Desirable

An understanding of medical terminology that enables informed discussions about the causes/circumstances of deaths with bereaved families, clinicians, coroner and registration staff.
Knowledge of the special requirements of the various faith groups with an awareness of equality and diversity issues surrounding death certification & arrangements.
Working knowledge & experience of the Department of Health's Death Certification Reforms Medical Examiner system.

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.

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Employer's website

https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Ipswich Hospital

Heath Road

Ipswich

IP4 5PD

Employer's website

https://www.esneft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)