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Job summary

Main area
Medical examiner
Grade
NHS Medical & Dental: Specialty Doctor
Contract
Fixed term: 3 years (Salary based on appropriate grade of successful candidate)
Hours
  • Part time
  • Other
4 hours per week (1PA per week)
Job ref
320-MD-6280846-SM
Employer
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Derby Hospital
Town
Derby
Salary
per annum
Closing
17/07/2024 23:59
Interview date
14/08/2024

Employer heading

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust logo

Medical Examiner (ME)

NHS Medical & Dental: Specialty Doctor

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together.

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

With over 13,000 members of staff you can expect huge variety and new opportunities every day! Our staff go above and beyond and take pride in caring for our patients.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust is fully committed to promoting inclusion, equality, diversity and human rights in employment and delivery of its services.  The Trust is committed to providing an environment where all employees, patients, carers and visitors experience equality of opportunity by means of understanding and appreciating the value of diversity.

As a Trust we promote an inclusive environment and welcome applications from a diverse pool of talent and backgrounds.  All individuals are valued and given every opportunity to succeed based on merit.

The Trust actively encourages applications from members of our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. These groups are under-represented in our organisation, and it’s important to us that our workforce reflects the diversity of our communities as much as possible.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer and committed to both employing and retaining people with disabilities.  This commitment is to guarantee an interview for any candidate that has disclosed a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification.  Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 will be considered upon request.

 

Join us and help make a real difference to our Trust.

Here’s more about the role and what we’re looking for; 

Job overview

Following the successful implementation of the Medical Examiner (ME) service, the Trust is entering the next phase of delivering a ME service within Staffordshire/Derbyshire. We are looking for enthusiastic doctors to join our experienced and dedicated team of MEs from both primary and secondary care. The focus of the service is to give a voice to the bereaved and to interact with them in a sympathetic manner. The ME service will ensure the accuracy of death certification and drive improvements in patient care.   

As an ME, you will conduct a proportionate scrutiny of the records of deceased patients and discuss the proposed cause of death with the attending doctor. MEs discuss the cause of death with bereaved families and establish if they have any questions or concerns. They can also help to identify whether a case requires referral to the Coroner’s Office or needs further investigation through the organisation's mortality review process.

Each of the three posts attracts 1PA per week in Derby with a fourth post of 1.5 PAs in Burton, all with an expectation of additional working at weekends on an on-call basis in the near future. Further details can be found in the attached job description.

 

Main duties of the job

  • Ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current processes of certification, investigation (by coroners) and registration of deaths within a Local Authority area
  • Support those doctors who call for medical advice on suspected natural causes of death before they prepare an MCCD, and provide general medical advice to the coroner
  • Scrutinise the 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 and undertake analysis and provide information as required to ONS and locally for clinical governance purposes
  • Work with the any other local MEs at UHDB or elsewhere
  • Ensure that there is no potential conflict of interest between the ME and the death being scrutinised

Working for our organisation

As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together

Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.

In return we will offer:

•    Development opportunities, including both professional and leadership development
•    On-going support through every step of the way from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
•    A variety of other staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes

Key Facts about our Trust:

•    We see on average 4810 OP appointments per day.
•    We are the 4th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England – an average of 2077 per week.
•    An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day – 3rd largest in the country.
•    Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
•    Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
•    We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
•    We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

  • Explain to bereaved relatives cause of death in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner, which respects different faith, cultural, ethnic and diversity considerations;
  • Support the training of junior doctors in completion of MCCDs and provide feedback on accuracy of certification locally
  • MEs will work closely with MEOs and recognise the unique skills which they bring to their role
  • Revise the lecture delivered by Daisy Shale at ME training
  • Scrutinise the notes and EPR for all patients.
  • MEs may delegate speaking to the bereaved and junior doctors to the MEO. It is recognised that some MEs may prefer to speak to the bereaved and junior doctors for difficult or complex cases. Likewise, an MEO may request that the duty ME speaks to the bereaved or junior doctors.

You will be expected to comply with national protocols to ensure that in each case the cause of death is scrutinised in a way that is robust, proportionate and consistent (National Medical Examiner: Good practice guidelines January 2020).

You must have up to date knowledge of medical conditions, treatments and medicines which may or may not have contributed to death and be able to exercise judgement in where to seek specialist advice in order to determine the appropriate level of scrutiny required.

Applicants must be GMC registered with a licence to practice in the UK, with at least five years' experience of General Practice or for doctors working in the Acute Trust, at least five years full registration.

The successful candidates must complete the 26-core eLearning modules and RCPath Medical Examiners face-to-face training within six months of being in post.  

The Derby posts are to provide one additional ME each day on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.  

The QHB post will be expected to work the hours flexibly across the week, specifically including Wednesdays. 

INTERVIEW DATE: 14th August 2024 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • MBBS or equivalent
  • Possession of MRCP/MRCS/MRCGP Postgraduate Qualification or equivalent
  • Full GMC registration with licence to practice
Desirable criteria
  • Additional higher medical/scientific degree relevant to the speciality

Clinical Experience

Essential criteria
  • A minimum of 5 years postgraduate training (or equivalent gained either pert time or through Less than Full Time Training) since obtaining a primary medical qualification.
  • A minimum of 2 years' experience in a similar specialty

Management and Administrative Experience

Desirable criteria
  • Attended a management/leadership course

Employer certification / accreditation badges

No smoking policyArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerStep into healthArmed Forces CovenantNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Sue Monkhouse
Job title
Lead Medical Examiner Officer
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01332 786025
Additional information

For informal discussions, please contact Paul Smith, Lead Medical Examiner ([email protected]). 

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