Band 7 Lead Medical Examiner Officer

Are you looking for a new challenge in a friendly, collaborative service, who aim to deliver a professional and compassionate service? If so please read on.

In this senior Lead Medical Examiner Officer (MEO) role you will be responsible for leading a small team of MEO's, linking with our Medical Examiners (ME) and sharing innovative practice in data management, collating mortality reports and linking in with our NHS England Regional ME / MEO. You will be supported by the Group Head of Bereavement, Mortuary and ME Services as you coordinate day to day office services, including rosters and line management of the team.

This national service led by NHSE ensures accuracy of certification of the cause of death and to improve involvement of bereaved people in the process. The aim is to scrutinise all deaths within acute hospitals and local communities. We are committed to maintaining and developing a responsive and fluid service, adaptable to the needs of our trust, our communities, and our workforce.

The Medical Examiner system contributes to and enhances governance, accuracy and the service to grieving friends and families, working closely with the Trust Bereavement Service.

We are seeking a full time senior Medical Examiner's Officer to be based cross site between Royal Free and Barnet Hospitals.

The role is full time: 37.5 hours a week, Monday to Friday. Availability for occasional out of hours working, at weekends and public holidays.

Main duties of the job

The Medical Examiner system was introduced in England in and Wales in 2021 and became statutory in 2024. This is a national service being led by NHSE/I to ensure accuracy of certification of the cause of death and to improve involvement of bereaved families in the process. Locally this service is offered 7 days a week. The Senior Medical Examiner Officer will line manage a cross site team of Medical Examiner Officers and will work closely with the Trust cross-site Bereavement Service.

Principal Functions

1. Leadership and support for strategic direction of the management of the MEOs and support to MEs within RFHNHSFT.
2. Maintain the National Model across the RFHNHSFT.
3. Unification and accountability for mandated quarterly report to the Regional ME office.
4. Oversight and assurance reports for services provided.
5. Responsible to the Lead Medical Examiner for financial and operational performance.
6. Facilitation and catalyst for innovation and new services.
7. Oversight for provision of the services to bereaved people with explanation, transparency and early opportunity to raise queries and liaise with Bereavement officers.
8. Oversight for accuracy and quality in all aspects of the medical certification of the cause of death.
9. Oversight and robust process in place to ensure appropriate referral to the Coroner.
10. Safeguard the public through consistent scrutiny of all non-coronal deaths.
11. Support clinical governance in learning and improvement.

About us

Our Medical Examiner service is a small team of compassionate and dedicated colleagues, working together to issue a timely Medical Cause of Death Certificate and support bereaved people as they progress with death registration and funeral arrangements. We work closely with our Medical Examiners, local Coroner services and Royal Free London Bereavement and Mortuary Services.

Job Description

Job Responsibilities

The postholder will act as the lead member of the RFHNHSFT Medical Examiner Office(s) to support the Lead Medical Examiners, Medical Examiners, and Medical Examiner Officers (MEOs) to develop the Medical Examiner Office functions, in line with the implementation of policy reforms of death certification and to aim to improve local processes of death certification for acute and community deaths and referrals to the coroner. This includes the development of protocols, guidelines, and policies for the service development and implementation of a system wide model across the RFHNHSFT organisation. The postholder will be an expert point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, colleagues, healthcare professionals, coroner, and registration services. The post holder will provide specialist advice and support relating to compliance with the legislation and the expansion of the Medical Examiner Service across the ICS. This will include but is not exclusive to, community Service, primary care, hospices, and Clinical Care Groups. They will lead the MEO team to support the delivery of a high quality, safe and compassionate healthcare service, all staff are expected to act as a role model to others in all aspects of their work and consistently demonstrate independence and within core organisational values.

Key Working Relationships

• Lead Medical Examiner and direct reports
• Trust Medical Examiners
• Bereavement officers
• Hospital doctors and consultants
• Chaplaincy
• Mortuary staff
• Service managers
• Group Head of Bereavement, Mortuary and Medical Examiner Service
• Nurses
• Business Intelligence Unit
• Clinical Governance Leads
• Quality Improvement Team
• Clinical Effectiveness and Patient Experience staff
• Administration staff within the NHSHM
• Coroner and their officers in two jurisdictions
• Spiritual/Faith community leads
• Local Authorities and Public Health Departments (e.g., Registrars office)
• GPs and practice staff
• Bereaved relatives, carers and executors/solicitors
• Funeral directors
• Crematoria Managers
• Regional ME and Regional MEON
• National Medical Examiner
• Clinical Outcomes & Effectiveness Team members, Senior Project managers working with Divisions and Learning from Death and End of Life specialists

Person Specification

Royal Free World Class Values

Essential

• Demonstrable ability to meet the Trust Values

Education & Professional Qualifications

Desirable

• Educated to Masters level/equivalent practical experience at an advanced level
• Completed e-learning MEO core training modules prior to starting in the post
• Experience of patient safety/patient experience/risk management/medical examiner system

Experience

Essential

• The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved
• Experience of working with people in sensitive and emotional situations
• Leadership experience of working in a healthcare or related setting with multidisciplinary teams and of working across organisational boundaries
• Ability to rapidly assimilate a range of complex (often clinical) information and make informed judgements
• Ability to compile large amounts of data in formats that allow for analysis and conclusions

Desirable

• Introducing new ways of working
• Project management
• Budget management experience including monitoring expenditure and identifying savings
• Experience and familiarity with business planning and preparation of business cases
• Experience of working in a healthcare setting with multi-disciplinary teams across organisational boundaries
• General knowledge of clinical/medical terminology
• Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death
• Knowledge of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system. Full understanding of the medical examiner service operational remit incorporated within Bereavement Services
• Knowledge of the Notification of Deaths Regulation 2019 - legal requirements and conditions for referral of a death to His Majesty's Coroner
• Knowledge or experience of the Medical Certificate Cause of Death Regulations 2024 and the Medical Examiners (England) Regulations 2024

Skills and Aptitudes

Essential

• Able to make logical operation/service level decisions based on the current situation
• A commitment to life-long learning and undertaking personal development opportunities
• Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders
• Ability to lead a multi-site team and to organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities
• To have skills/qualifications in day-to-day operational/process management of a customer-facing service where users may have unpredictable and emotionally charged needs
• Experience of delivering training to a range of stakeholders
• Experience in management of meetings
• Experience of implementing change and innovation
• Previous experience of leading and managing a team
• Competent in the use of IT software systems and handling sensitive personal identifiable data

Personal Qualities & Attributes

Essential

• Proactive and self-motivated
• Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner
• Compassionate and kind with a drive to service and have a positive impact on others
• Professional appearance, manner and awareness of impact of own behaviour on others
• Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances
• Proactive and self-motivated with the ability to deputise for Lead Medical Examiner often at short notice

Employer Details

Employer Name

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Royal Free Hospital
Pond Street
London
NW3 2QG

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

391-RFL-6778590