Medical Examiner

NHS; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 105,000 - 140,000; Part time

Job summary

The NHS is seeking a Medical Examiner to join a dynamic team in Birmingham. The role involves scrutinising death records, discussing causes of death with bereaved families, and ensuring compliance with legal procedures, all within a supportive environment. The position is part-time, with a flexible rota. Applicants must be registered doctors with GMC and experience in medical practice.

Qualifications

• Registered medical practitioner with a valid GMC license.
• Five years of medical practice experience.
• Completion of training within three months of starting.

Responsibilities

• Scrutinise certified causes of death and discuss with families.
• Ensure compliance with legal requirements and standards.
• Lead the delivery of non-coronial death scrutiny.

Skills

Communication

Scrutiny

Empathy

Education

Current GMC registration

Completion of RCPath Medical Examiners training

Job description

Job summary

Following the successful transition into the statutory environment in Sept 2024, we are looking to increase the number of our Medical Examiners who will work alongside a diverse team of colleagues from both primary and secondary care.

As Medical Examiner, you will perform the scrutiny of the records of deceased patients and discuss the proposed cause of death with the attending doctor. Medical Examiners also talk through the cause of death with the bereaved families and establish if there are any family concerns. Medical Examiners can also help to identify whether a case requires referral to the Coroners Office or needs further investigation through the organisations mortality review process.

You will be supported by our Lead Medical Examiner together with our Medical Examiners Support Team.

We would be looking for the Medical Examiner to provide 1 session each week with additional sessions required as part of the out of hours service. We currently run a 6 day rota so we ask that candidates offer some flexibility (within reason) to fulfil the rota. The service currently runs 08:00 -- 16:00 Mon -- Fri with out of hours provision for urgent cases on Saturdays 09:00 -- 15:00 and non-religious bank holidays 09:00 -- 12:00.

Role is open to qualified doctors at consultant / GP level. Applicants must have current GMC registration and have completed the RCPath Medical Examiners Face to Face training within 3 months of being in post.

Main duties of the job

Main aims of the Medical Examiner will be to:

*Link in with our clinical teams, Medical Examiners support team, Coroners office and Community providers to provide assurance around the cause of death, deal with any concerns raised by NOK about the care of deceased relatives as well support the learning from deaths process.

*Improve the medical certification process including the quality and accuracy of the certification.

*Lead the delivery of a consistent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths

*Support all colleagues to improve care through the delivery of training.

Further information can be found within the Job Description.

About us

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust strives to have an inclusive culture where everyone feels like they belong, can thrive, knows that they add value and feels valued. We do this by developing compassionate and culturally competent leaders, being values driven in all that we do and by creating a welcoming and inclusive workplace that thrives on the diversity of our people. As such we want to attract and recruit talented individuals from all backgrounds, and for each of you to feel supported for the diversity you bring, to achieve your full potential. For those staff with a disability, including physical disability, long term health condition, mental health or neurodiverse condition, this also means being committed to making reasonable adjustments needed for you to carry out your role.

Details Date posted

27 May 2025

Pay scheme

Hospital medical and dental staff

Grade

Consultant

Salary

£105,504 to £139,882 a year

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

24 months

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

304-KSA-1093396

Job locations

Trustwide

Mindelsohn Way

Birmingham

West Midlands

B15 2TH

Job description Job responsibilities

Medical Examiners must be registered with a license to practise in the UK by the GMC, with at least

five years experience. The candidate must have been registered as a medical practitioner throughout

the previous five years as at the date of appointment. The main responsibilities of the ME are:

* To ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current and

proposed reformed processes of certification, investigation by coroners and registration of deaths.

* To scrutinise the certified causes of death offered by attending doctors in a way that is proportionate,

consistent and compliant with the proposed national protocol.

* To discuss and explain the cause of death with next of kin/informants in a transparent, tactful and

sympathetic manner. It is anticipated that such discussions will be predominately conducted through

telephone conversations where barriers to understanding information may exist.

* To 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.

* To maintain comprehensive records of all deaths scrutinised and undertake analysis to provide

information to the National Medical Examiner office.

* To participate in relevant clinical governance activities relating to death certification including audits,

mortality review processes, benchmarking exercises and investigations regarding formal complaints

about patient care.

* To support the training of resident doctors in their understanding of death certification and promote

good practice in accurate completion of MCCDs.

* To work with medical examiner officers (MEOs), delegating duties as appropriate.

* To engage with lead ME and lead MEO for the region.

* To adopt a collaborative working relationship with other MEs by sharing experiences and expertise to

support peer learning and set uniform standards of service delivery.

* To be present in the Medical Examiners office for a PA session each week as part of an ongoing rota.

There is an expectation that individuals demonstrate flexibility to fill rota gaps at any other hospital site

across UHB when these arise and provide availability as part of the out of hours ME rota.

[NOTE: the above list of duties is not exhaustive and is subject to change with Nationalupdates]

Please see the attached Job Description

Job description Job responsibilities

Medical Examiners must be registered with a license to practise in the UK by the GMC, with at least

five years experience. The candidate must have been registered as a medical practitioner throughout

the previous five years as at the date of appointment. The main responsibilities of the ME are:

* To ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current and

proposed reformed processes of certification, investigation by coroners and registration of deaths.

* To scrutinise the certified causes of death offered by attending doctors in a way that is proportionate,

consistent and compliant with the proposed national protocol.

* To discuss and explain the cause of death with next of kin/informants in a transparent, tactful and

sympathetic manner. It is anticipated that such discussions will be predominately conducted through

telephone conversations where barriers to understanding information may exist.

* To 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.

* To maintain comprehensive records of all deaths scrutinised and undertake analysis to provide

information to the National Medical Examiner office.

* To participate in relevant clinical governance activities relating to death certification including audits,

mortality review processes, benchmarking exercises and investigations regarding formal complaints

about patient care.

* To support the training of resident doctors in their understanding of death certification and promote

good practice in accurate completion of MCCDs.

* To work with medical examiner officers (MEOs), delegating duties as appropriate.

* To engage with lead ME and lead MEO for the region.

* To adopt a collaborative working relationship with other MEs by sharing experiences and expertise to

support peer learning and set uniform standards of service delivery.

* To be present in the Medical Examiners office for a PA session each week as part of an ongoing rota.

There is an expectation that individuals demonstrate flexibility to fill rota gaps at any other hospital site

across UHB when these arise and provide availability as part of the out of hours ME rota.

[NOTE: the above list of duties is not exhaustive and is subject to change with Nationalupdates]

Please see the attached Job Description

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Medical practitioner registered and licensed to practise in the UK by the GMC.
• As a pre-condition of practicing, an ME must have successfully completed the mandatory components of the national online medical examiner curriculum. Face-to-face training must be completed within the first three months of being in post

Person Specification Qualifications Essential

• Medical practitioner registered and licensed to practise in the UK by the GMC.
• As a pre-condition of practicing, an ME must have successfully completed the mandatory components of the national online medical examiner curriculum. Face-to-face training must be completed within the first three months of being in post

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information 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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details Employer name

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Trustwide

Mindelsohn Way

Birmingham

West Midlands

B15 2TH

Employer's website

https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/jobs.htm (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details Employer name

University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Trustwide

Mindelsohn Way

Birmingham

West Midlands

B15 2TH

Employer's website

https://www.uhb.nhs.uk/jobs.htm (Opens in a new tab)