The role of Medical Examiner has been created by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) in response to observations made in the Third Report of the Shipman Inquiry. The medical examiner system aims to promote robust, transparent, and independent scrutiny of death certification processes, feeding into the Clinical Governance of all healthcare providers in Bolton.
The Lead Medical Examiner is a local role responsible for overseeing development and leadership of an effective Medical Examiner service, consistent with legislation and National Medical Examiner guidance. The Lead reports and is accountable to the Trust Board, the National, and Regional Medical Examiners as appropriate, and collaborates with local partner organizations.
Duties and Responsibilities
Medical Examiners (MEs) are appropriately trained (typically senior) doctors who verify clinical information on Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs) and ensure that the right referrals are made to the coroner or for further investigation. MEs will adopt a consistent approach to formulating MCCD content, which must be clinically accurate and reflect discussions with next of kin or informants.
The current Medical Examiner Office is responsible for providing an ME service for Bolton, covering all deaths not referred to the coroner in both acute and non-acute (community) settings.
* To ensure compliance with legal and procedural requirements related to certification, investigation by coroners, and death registration.
* To engage with the regional Lead Medical Examiner and Regional Medical Examiner Officer.
* To take the lead in overseeing the effective delivery of the ME service within Bolton, ensuring sufficient resources, including recruitment and management of MEs and MEOs, with support from the acute trust and national funding.
* To provide professional direction for the MEOs.
* To have oversight of the MEs and MEOs employed by the Trust.
* To ensure that the ME service is aligned and fully integrated with existing and evolving mortality review processes.
* To ensure a robust framework for quality assurance and continuous development of the ME service, including raising awareness, stakeholder feedback, peer review, training, and education.
* To engage with all relevant stakeholders in Bolton, understanding their needs and maintaining good communication.
* To respond to concerns and complaints.
* To escalate concerns and themes to the Regional Medical Examiner or Senior Coroner as appropriate.
Our Values
Vision
We have a plan that will deliver excellent health and care for future generations, working with partners to ensure our services are sustainable. We make decisions that are best for long-term health and social care outcomes for our communities.
Openness
We communicate clearly to our patients, families, and staff with transparency and honesty. We encourage feedback from everyone to help drive innovation and improvements.
Integrity
We demonstrate fairness, respect, and empathy in our interactions. We take responsibility for our actions, speak out, and learn from our mistakes.
Compassion
We take a person-centred approach in all interactions, providing compassionate care and understanding to everyone.
Excellence
We prioritize quality and safety, continuously improving our standards of healthcare with the patient in mind.
For detailed job description and main responsibilities, please see the attached documents. This advert closes on Wednesday, 6 August 2025.
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