Lead Medical Examiner Officer | Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust

Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; City Of London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading healthcare provider is seeking a Lead Medical Examiner Officer to oversee a small team and ensure the accuracy of death certifications. The role requires strong leadership and data management skills, with responsibilities including team coordination and service improvement. Candidates should have experience in healthcare settings and be prepared for a full-time schedule, including occasional weekends and public holidays.

Qualifications

• Experience in leadership roles within a healthcare setting.
• Strong understanding of medical certification processes.
• Ability to manage teams and drive service improvements.

Responsibilities

• Lead a small team of Medical Examiner Officers.
• Coordinate day-to-day office services, including rosters.
• Oversee accuracy in medical certification of deaths.

Skills

Leadership

Data management

Communication

Job description

Overview

Are you looking for a new challenge in a friendly, collaborative service, who aim to deliver a professional and compassionate service? If so, we are keen to hear from you.

We are seeking a Lead Medical Examiner Officer (MEO) role who will be responsible for leading a small team of MEOs, working closely with our team of Medical Examiners (ME) and sharing innovative practice in data management, collating mortality reports and linking in with our NHS England Regional ME / MEO.

You will be supported by the Group Head of Bereavement, Mortuary and ME Services as you coordinate day to day office services, including rosters and line management of the team.

This national statutory service led by NHS England ensures accuracy of certification of the cause of death and to improve involvement of bereaved people in the process. The aim is to scrutinise all deaths within acute hospitals and local communities. We are committed to maintaining and developing a responsive and fluid service, adaptable to the needs of our trust, our communities, and our workforce.

The Medical Examiner system contributes to and enhances governance, accuracy and the service to grieving friends and families, working closely with the Trust Bereavement Service.

We are seeking a full time senior Medical Examiner's Officer to be based cross sites for the Royal Free Group. This is alongside our Bereavement and Mortuary teams, where we work closely together in supporting bereaved people. The post holder is included in senior staff forums within these three services and has access to Royal Free personal and professional development opportunities.

The role is full time: 37.5 hours a week, including occasional hours rostered at weekends and public holidays according to service need.

Responsibilities

• Leadership and support for strategic direction of the management of the MEOs and support to Medical Examiners (MEs) across the RFHNHSFT
• Maintain the National Model across the RFHNHSFT
• Unification and accountability for mandated quarterly report to the Regional ME office
• Oversight and assurance reports for services provided
• Responsible to the Lead Medical Examiner for financial performance relating to delegated budgets and operational performance of the service
• Facilitation and catalyst for innovation and new services e.g., community services and the extended hours service
• Oversight for provision of the services to the bereaved with explanation, transparency and early opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns and to liaise with the Bereavement officers.
• Oversight for accuracy and quality in all aspects of the medical certification of the cause of death.
• Oversight and robust process in place to ensure appropriate referral to the Coroner.
• Safeguard the public through consistent scrutiny of all non-coronal deaths.
• Support clinical governance in learning and improvement.
• Contribute to 7 day a week extended ME service delivery

Key Working Relationships

• Lead Medical Examiner and direct reports
• Trust Medical Examiners
• Bereavement officers
• Hospital doctors and consultants
• Chaplaincy
• Mortuary staff
• Service managers
• Group Head of Bereavement, Mortuary and Medical Examiner Service
• Nurses
• Business Intelligence Unit
• Clinical Governance Leads
• Quality Improvement Team
• Clinical Effectiveness and Patient Experience staff
• Administration staff within the NHS
• HM Coroner and their officers in two jurisdictions
• Spiritual/Faith community leads
• Local Authorities and Public Health Departments (e.g., Registrar’s office)
• GPs and practice staff
• Bereaved relatives, carers and executors/solicitors
• Funeral directors
• Crematoria Managers
• Regional ME and Regional MEO
• National Medical Examiner
• Clinical Outcomes & Effectiveness Team members, Senior Project managers working with Divisions and Learning from Death and End of Life specialists

This advert closes on Friday 19 Sep 2025