What are the responsibilities and job description for the Medical Examiner Officer position at Freeman Hospital?
Employer heading
Medical Examiner Officer
Band 5
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job Overview
The Medical Examiner Service is fundamental to supporting the bereaved, ensuring consistency and accuracy in death certification and promoting continuous learning.
We are looking for a Medical Examiner Officer to play a key role in our ongoing development. Our service now includes deaths which occur in the community.
The successful candidate should have strong interpersonal skills and be able to communicate effectively in difficult and emotional settings to provide compassionate and sensitive support to bereaved relatives.
Main duties of the job
To establish the circumstances of individual patients deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records for scruitiny by the Medical Examiner.
Maintaining a database.
Working for our organisation
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
Essential criteria
Essential criteria
All references from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.
Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
Name Angela Scott Job title Lead Medical Examiner Officer Email address angela.scott3@nhs.net Telephone number 0191 2829786
Medical Examiner Officer
Band 5
Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the busiest and largest NHS foundation trusts in the country, with around 15,000 staff and an annual budget of £1.6 billion.
We have a long history of providing high quality care, clinical excellence, and innovation in medical research regionally, nationally and internationally.
We’re in the top five providers of specialised health services in the country, supporting people with a range of rare and complex medical, surgical and neurological conditions, cancers and genetic orders.
Our staff oversee around 6,500 patient contacts each day, delivering high standards of healthcare.
We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and recognise the benefit in providing an inclusive environment. We value and respect the diversity of our employees and aim to recruit a workforce which reflects the communities we serve, and is equipped to deliver the best service to our patients. We welcome all applications irrespective of people’s race, disability, sex, sexual orientation, religion or belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity and in particular those from under- represented groups.
Newcastle Hospitals are proud to be one of the exemplar organisations across the NHS on sustainability, with a long history of delivering Sustainable Healthcare in Newcastle (Shine) and the first healthcare organisation in the world to declare a climate emergency. Our strategy includes commitments to being Net Zero by 2030, for our direct carbon footprint, and Net Zero by 2040 for our footprint plus. Delivering these ambitions will not be possible without the help, support and action of every single member of our team.
Job Overview
The Medical Examiner Service is fundamental to supporting the bereaved, ensuring consistency and accuracy in death certification and promoting continuous learning.
We are looking for a Medical Examiner Officer to play a key role in our ongoing development. Our service now includes deaths which occur in the community.
The successful candidate should have strong interpersonal skills and be able to communicate effectively in difficult and emotional settings to provide compassionate and sensitive support to bereaved relatives.
- Interview Date Thursday 20 March 2025
- 37 Hours 30 Minutes/Week
- You will be redirected to Trac to apply for the vacancy. Please expand the job details section and read all of the information before applying for the vacancy.
Main duties of the job
To establish the circumstances of individual patients deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records for scruitiny by the Medical Examiner.
Maintaining a database.
Working for our organisation
Our staff oversee over 6,500 patient contacts every day, delivering high standards of healthcare from the following sites:
- Freeman Hospital
- Royal Victoria Infirmary (RVI)
- Health Innovation Neighbourhood (on the former Newcastle General Hospital and Centre for Ageing and Vitality site)
- Newcastle Dental Hospital
- Newcastle Fertility Centre
- Northern Centre for Cancer Care, North Cumbria
- Northern Genetics Service
- Cramlington Manor Walks
We also have offices at Regent Point in Gosforth and community sites.
Please see attached information on what Staff Benefits we have to offer at our Trust under ‘Documents to download’ or ‘Supporting documents’.
For further information on The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust please visit: Careers | Newcastle Hospitals | NHS | Newcastle Hospitals and Newcastle Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities
- To support the Medical Examiner in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death.
- To be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives/carers of deceased patients, health professionals, coroner and registration service.
- To provide training and support to junior doctors and nursing staff regarding legal requirements relating to registration of death, completion of necessary investigations including referral to the coroner’s office.
- To work confidently and professionally with all grades of staff and external professionals to ensure the correct running of the medical examiner service in accordance with both statutory and Trust requirements.
- Ensure all staff are able to respond in an emergency or Major incident situation.
- Oversee and provide support to medical colleagues and ward staff in relation to notification of death and repatriation procedures.
- Communicate effectively with all staff groups across the organisation.
- Establish and maintain good working relationships with supporting services including Chaplaincy, mortuary and undertaker providers.
- To manage and work as part of a team, having a flexible approach, to ensure that all duties are carried out efficiently, in a sensitive and timely manner.
Person specification
Qualifications & Education
Essential criteria
- Educated to -Degree level or equivalent working knowledge in related field
Essential criteria
- Specialist knowledge of Bereavement Services o Experience, including knowledge of Trust principles, policies and Governance regulations o Specialist knowledge of notification of death requirements Extensive experience of dealing with members of the public who may be distressed and bereaved
- Completion of the e-learning MEO core training modules prior to starting the post
- Knowledge and understanding of Trust and NHS Policies and Procedures
- Knowledge and understanding of the Data Protection Act 1998
- Knowledge of the Patient Administration System
- Understanding of Health and Safety statutory requirements
- Understanding of confidential issues
- Evidence of continuing professional development
Essential criteria
- Able to establish good working relationships with a wide range of professional groups internal and external to the trust
- Strong Communication/interpersonal skills with an ability to communicate effectively and the sensitivity with relatives or representatives of the deceased and to communicate with bereaved of all faiths and communities in a sensitive and understanding manner
- Excellent organisational /time management skills
- Ability to: -meet strict deadlines and work under pressure o standardise working practices
- IT Skills
- Data Analysis skills
All references from current and previous employers will be sought and must cover a minimum of 3 years employment. Therefore, when completing the reference section of your application form, please give the address, telephone number and work email address of each of your current/previous line managers that cover 3 years employment. Failure to complete this section may result in your application not being processed.
Please note it is a requirement of The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust that all successful candidates who require a DBS for the post they have been offered pay for their DBS certificate. The method of payment is a salary deduction from your first month’s pay.
Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will be contacted by e-mail. You should check your SPAM folders as well as your inbox. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date you should assume your application has been unsuccessful.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Documents to download
- JD & PS (PDF, 151.6KB)
- Newcastle Staff Benefits (PDF, 274.4KB)
- Behaviour and Civility Charter (PDF, 93.8KB)
Further details / informal visits contact
Name Angela Scott Job title Lead Medical Examiner Officer Email address angela.scott3@nhs.net Telephone number 0191 2829786
