Overview
The Medical Examiner Service became statue law on 9 September 2024, meaning that all deaths in England and Wales that are not taken for investigation by the Coroner are required to be secondarily independently reviewed by the Medical Examiner. The Medical Examiner Service at West Suffolk Hospital is responsible for reviewing deaths from within the Hospital and the surrounding community, including care homes, hospices and Coroner referred cases. The role of the Medical Examiner Officer is to ensure deaths are received, reviewed and actioned in a timely and professional manner, providing administrative support to the Medical Examiner, and a compassionate and efficient service to the bereaved.
The Medical Examiner Officers work closely with the Hospital Mortuary and Bereavement services, including hospital medical teams, Patient Advice and Liaison Services and Learning from Deaths Team, and with external stakeholders at GP practices, Coroner Services and Registrar Services. The officer acts as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patient’s death.
Key responsibilities include supporting medical examiners in overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients within the organisation/community, as determined by the National Medical Examiner’s Officer; establishing the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the medical examiner; and assisting in highlighting cases for assessment by the Structured Judgement Review (SJR) team, Child Death Overview Panel (CDOP), Clinical Governance teams and the Learning Disability Review Teams (LeDeR). The role also includes referring patients to the coroner for further investigation on approval by the medical examiner, and maintaining awareness of the diverse needs of users of the medical examiner system to ensure equality.
Join us at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community.
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings. The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services and has 500+ beds. It is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge. Adult and paediatric community services are provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyone’s voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are. Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?
For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Holly Rumbelow, Lead Medical Examiner Officer. Email: holly.rumbelow@wsh.nhs.uk. Telephone: 01284 713535.
Responsibilities
* Act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve concerns relating to a patient’s death.
* Assist in the death certification process by working with medical examiners for all deceased patients in the organisation/community.
* Establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by reviewing medical records and sourcing additional details as required for scrutiny by the medical examiner.
* Highlight cases for assessment by the Structured Judgement Review (SJR) team, CDOP, Clinical Governance teams and LeDeR.
* Refer patients to the coroner for further investigation on approval by the medical examiner.
* Maintain awareness of diverse user needs to ensure equality within the medical examiner system.
About the employer
West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust is a busy, supportive employer with nearly 5,000 staff and a commitment to fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and teamwork. We aim to be a great place to work and to support colleagues in delivering excellent patient care.
Qualifications and requirements
* Seniority level: Entry level
* Employment type: Temporary
* Job function: Health Care Provider
* Industries: Hospitals and Health Care
Location and application notes: Stowmarket, Cambridge, Colchester areas (various postings noted). Referrals may increase chances of interviewing.
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