Medical Examiner Officer

Job summary

The Medical Examiner Officer (MEO) plays a key role in supporting Medical Examiners to provide independent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths within the Trust and community.

The postholder ensures deaths are reviewed in a timely, transparent, and consistent manner, enabling accurate completion of Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCD), timely reviews of Coroner referrals, improving mortality data quality, and strengthening learning from deaths.

The MEO acts as a liaison between clinical teams, bereaved families, the Coroner's Office, and Registration Services, and funeral directors, ensuring the service operates with compassion, professionalism, and regulatory compliance. The role supports early identification of patient safety concerns, contributes to governance and audit processes, and promotes improvements in end-of-life care.

The postholder ensures the service operates in a culturally sensitive and inclusive manner, recognising and supporting faith-based and time-sensitive burial requirements.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as 'Priority' and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Main duties of the job

Supports independent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths across the Trust by managing a high-volume caseload and ensuring timely, consistent review.

Produces clear case summaries for Medical Examiner review, highlighting key clinical details, decision points and potential concerns to support accurate certification.

Acts as a main contact for bereaved families, providing sensitive explanations of the Medical Examiner process, answering questions, and enabling concerns to be raised while ensuring understanding of the cause of death and next steps.

Works closely with clinical teams, patient safety, bereavement services, the Coroner's Office, Registration Services and funeral directors to coordinate processes and maintain a seamless service.

Ensures all Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCD) meet statutory requirements and national guidance, identifying and escalating cases needing Coroner referral.

Supports governance by identifying patient safety concerns, contributing to audits, and participating in quality improvement and learning from deaths.

Maintains accurate, secure digital records, including case tracking and performance data, supporting transparency and accountability.

Promotes efficient case progression to minimise delays, including prioritising time-sensitive or faith-based cases.

Represents the service professionally in meetings and provides updates on activity.

About us

We are a people business - where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment. We offer all of this in a vibrant, modern city with a historic reputation for adventure. PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL COMMUNICATION WILL BE ELECTRONIC, PLEASE CHECK YOUR EMAIL ACCOUNT REGULARLY. If you have any issues with applying online and need additional support including reasonable adjustments with the application process please contact the recruitment manager for this post who will put you in touch with the recruitment team. We recognise that work life balance is important for our colleagues and so we invite requests from applicants around less than full time/flexible working for our advertised roles. Please contact the recruiting manager to discuss this prior to your application submission. We commit to giving this full consideration in each case. We encourage people from diverse backgrounds to apply for our roles, as diversity strengthens our teams. It is sometimes necessary to close vacancies before the closing date. If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume that you have not been shortlisted.

Job description

Job responsibilities

PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

1. Clinical Information Review and Case Preparation

• Access, interpret, and summarise clinical records including the Electronic Patient Record (EPR) and paper notes.
• Identify key clinical events, decision points, and potential concerns.
• Cross-check proposed causes of death for clinical and legal accuracy, escalating discrepancies.
• Prioritise and manage caseloads in line with service targets and operational demand.

2. Support to Medical Examiners in Death Certification

• Review MCCDs for accuracy and compliance with statutory requirements
• Identify cases requiring Coroner referral and ensure timely escalation.
• Liaise with certifying doctors to resolve queries or obtain missing information.
• Complete pre-scrutiny checks, including family concerns, incident reporting systems (e.g. Datix), risk and incidents and complaints and PALS.

For further information please see attached job description

Person Specification

Knowledge and experience

Essential

• Demonstrable experience in a healthcare, governance, bereavement or regulated environment.
• Demonstrable experience handling sensitive or confidential information.
• Proven ability to interpret complex information, such as clinical notes and guidance documents.
• Demonstrable experience communicating with the public in emotional or sensitive circumstances.
• Knowledge of the national Medical Examiner system.
• Understanding of, or willingness to learn about, faith and cultural practices relating to death, including those requiring rapid release of the deceased.
• Demonstrable Experience (or proven ability to develop experience) in working with diverse communities and supporting families with varying cultural and religious needs.

Desirable

• Demonstrable experience working with coronial processes, bereavement services or patient safety/incident investigation.
• Demonstrable experience contributing to audits, governance meetings or quality improvement activity.

QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• A Level education or equivalent relevant demonstrable experience.
• Commitment to completing National Medical Examiner Officer Training modules
• Commitment to continuous learning and CPD

Desirable

• Degree or diploma in a relevant field (health, science, social sciences).
• Training in communication skills, bereavement care or patient safety.

APTITUDE & ABILITIES

Essential

• Proven ability to analyse and summarise clinical information accurately.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Competent in managing challenging or emotional conversations.
• Strong organisational skills with proven ability to prioritise workload under pressure.
• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to work autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Proven ability to adapt communication style and service delivery to meet the cultural, spiritual and religious needs of bereaved families.
• Proven ability to work calmly and efficiently under time pressure, especially when supporting faith deaths requiring urgent certification.

Desirable

• Proven ability to compile reports, identify patterns and trends and support thematic reviews.
• Confidence using digital systems, data entry platforms and Office 365.

DISPOSITION / ATTITUDE / MOTIVATION

Essential

• Compassionate, emotionally resilient and professional when dealing with bereaved families.
• Calm and confident under pressure
• Commitment to confidentiality, professionalism and patient centred care.
• Motivated to contribute to quality improvement and learning from deaths.
• Demonstrates empathy, cultural awareness and a respectful approach to people of all backgrounds and belief systems.
• Shows sensitivity when managing situations involving urgent religious or cultural requirements, maintaining professionalism and compassion.

Desirable

• Interest in mortality governance, patient safety or system improvement.

other factors

Essential

• Willingness to manage exposure to sensitive and distressing information.
• Proven ability to work flexibly depending on service needs.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust

Address

Derriford Hospital

Derriford Road

Plymouth

PL6 8DH

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.plymouthhospitals.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

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