Medical Examiners (MEs) are senior doctors who verify clinical information on Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs), to ensure appropriate referrals to the Coroner and accuracy and consistency of MCCD content. They are responsible for the scrutiny of the documentation and circumstances arising from non‑coronial deaths in England and Wales. MEs must not have been involved in the care of the deceased patients for deaths they scrutinise. MEs and their Officers also are required to ensure that the bereaved have an opportunity to raise concerns about the care of the deceased so that these are recognised and passed to the clinical team or the relevant clinical governance team.
Responsibilities
* Work within the team of Medical Examiners and Medical Examiner Officers to deliver timely and appropriate scrutiny of deaths within the catchment area of the Medical Examiners’ Office.
* Ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the reformed processes of certification, investigation by coroners and registration of deaths.
* Scrutinise the certified causes of death offered by attending doctors in a proportionate, consistent and compliant manner with proposed national guidance.
* Discuss and explain the cause of death with next of kin/informants in a transparent, tactful and sympathetic manner, primarily through telephone conversations.
* Ensure that all users of the ME system are treated with respect and are not discriminated against on the grounds of sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability.
* Identify deaths that could potentially be reported as clinical incidents to allow learning through clinical governance processes.
* Maintain comprehensive records of all deaths scrutinised on the Trust electronic ME software system.
* Perform analysis of the records to provide information to the National Medical Examiner’s office.
* Participate in relevant clinical governance activities relating to death certification including audits, mortality review processes and investigations regarding formal complaints about patient care.
* Support the training of junior doctors in their understanding of death certification and promote good practice in accurate completion of MCCDs.
* Work with Medical Examiner Officers, delegating duties as appropriate.
* Collaborate with other MEs to share experiences and expertise to support peer learning and set uniform standards of service delivery.
Qualifications
* Successfully completed the mandatory components of the national online medical examiner curriculum; face‑to‑face training within the first three months of post.
* Comply with national protocols to ensure cause of death scrutiny is proportionate and consistent.
* Up‑to‑date knowledge of medical conditions, treatments and medicines that may or may not have contributed to death, and ability to seek specialist advice.
* Detailed knowledge of legislation and processes for determining natural or unnatural death, reporting to coroner, deaths abroad, transport of body abroad.
* Clinical and professional experience at a senior level in primary or secondary care (Consultant or senior GP).
* High self‑awareness and empathetic skills to liaise effectively with bereaved families.
* Ability to demonstrate appropriate compassion, professionalism and discretion.
* Openness to constructive criticism, ideas and solutions.
* Positive role model interacting with MEOs, other MEs, bereaved and coroner, maintaining integrity and independence.
* Ability to avoid conflicts of interest as defined in national guidance.
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