Medical Examiner Officer
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.
Armed Forces and Disability Confident guaranteed interview scheme
To further support the pledges in the Armed Forces Covenant and to make a positive contribution to support ex-armed forces personnel (veterans) make the transition to civilian life, the Trust has introduced a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification, to help them overcome barriers to find civilian employment.The scheme will operate for all external recruitment.
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.
If you require support/adjustments with your application please contact the recruitment team on 01332 788466
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
An opportunity has arisen for a Medical Examiner’s Officer within the Mortuary Services based at Chesterfield Royal Hospital.
The post has been established to support the Service Manager & Lead Medical Examiner in the running of an effective and comprehensive Medical Examiner’s office/service for the needs of the Chesterfield Royal Hospital and the NE Derbyshire Community; to provide an efficient service to the Trust and the Bereaved by assisting with the scrutiny of the circumstances and the cause(s) of death of patients who die in the Hospital and the community.(This post is provided by Derbyshire Pathology, a contracted joint venture between Chesterfield Royal Hospital and University Hospitals of Derby and Burton)
The service will provide extra scrutiny within the death certification process and help to deliver improvements with the review of mortality data.
All mortuary service staff play a part in the death certification process; the MEO’s will help to provide a specific conduit for bereaved families to raise concerns about the care provided prior to the death of a loved one and highlight any areas of good practice.
For further information please contact Mr M Conway, Service Manager, Mortuary, Post Mortem Examination & Medical Examiner Services on (01246) 512217.
Main duties of the job- Act as a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals, HM Coroner and registration services
- To assist with the delivery of a high quality and co-ordinated Medical Examiner’s Office service to the relatives, carers and friends of patients who have died in the Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, ensuring that they are dealt with in an empathetic, caring, professional and timely manner.
- To facilitate the issuing of Medical Certificates of the Cause of Death by qualified attending practitioner / attending clinical staff, where required and to ensure timely transfer of the Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death to the bereavement office or direct to the registration services (as applicable)
- To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish any concerns relating to a patient’s death. Work with medical examiners to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process and the required paperwork for all deceased patients in the North East Derbyshire catchment area.
- 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.
Interview date: 13 June 2025
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, both professional and leadership development
- On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
- Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes
Key Facts:
- We see on average 4810 OP appointments a 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.
- UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please see attached Job description and Person Specification. To apply please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB – this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.
Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click on the link to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorship Impacts of the changes to the UK immigration policy | NHS Employers
Person specification
Education, Training and Qualifications CPD Requirements
Essential criteria- Educated to Bachelor’s degree level or equivalent
- working knowledge and experience in this field
- Completed e-learning MEO core training modules prior to starting in the post
- Completed the MEO face-to-face training Bereavement training
Experience & Knowledge
Essential criteria- Experience of working with people in sensitive and emotional situations
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting with multidisciplinary teams across organisational boundaries.
- An understanding of medical terminology that enables informed discussions about causes/circumstances of death with bereaved families, clinicians, coroner and registration service staff
- Knowledge and understanding of the Notification of Death Regulations 2019
- Experience of the certification processes relating to death administration
- Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death
- Knowledge and understanding of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system.
- A full understanding of the medical examiner system operational remit.
Skills and Ability
Essential criteria- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders.
- Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities
- Competent in the use of IT software systems and handling sensitive personal identifiable data.
Communications and interpersonal skills
Essential criteria- Proactive and self-motivated Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
- 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.
- A commitment to life-long learning and undertaking personal development opportunities
- The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved.
Our Trust aims to provide the highest quality care to patients within Derbyshire and South East Staffordshire and we want the very best people to work with us.
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION
If we receive a high number of applications for this position we reserve the right to withdraw the post before the closing date, therefore it is advisable that you apply as early as possible to avoid disappointment.
At UHDB , we offer different ways to work flexibly to each and every one of our colleagues, many of whom already work flexibly at all sites of the Trust.
For our roles we are open to discussing the possibility of part-time/ reduced hours/ compressed hours/ flexible start and finish times/ fixed/flexible shifts/annualised hours/ term time hours/ hybrid working – working partly in the trust/partly at home.
Why don’t you talk to us at interview about the flexibility you would like to explore and what it means to you, and we will discuss what’s possible for the job and team, and the opportunities we might be able to create together.
We can’t promise to give you exactly what you want, but we do promise to work with you to look at all the available options.
Most of our posts are subject to a DBS check, however having a criminal record will not necessarily bar you from obtaining a position. Please be aware that all new employees starting work with us will be charged for the cost of their DBS check, if it is required for their role.
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- the points-based immigration system
- the EU settlement scheme
- eVisa
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