MEs are required to adhere to legal and procedural standards, maintain detailed records, and assist in training junior doctors regarding death certification. They work collaboratively with a team of Medical Examiners and Officers, reporting to the Trust Lead Medical Examiner and other senior figures within the organisation. The positions are part-time, allowing flexibility while ensuring essential services are available, including support during weekends and bank holidays for urgent review needs.
The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) created the Medical Examiner system in England and Wales in response to observations made in the Third Report of the Shipman Inquiry and other reports. In 2024 new legislation was introduced mandating the review of all non-coronial deaths by a medical examiner. The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Regulations 2024
Medical Examiners (MEs) are senior and independent doctors specifically trained to review deaths through a process of a) proportionate review of medical records b) discussion with the attending practitioner and c) a discussion with the bereaved. This ensures accurate death certification/referral to the coroner, provides governance assurance to healthcare providers and directly contributes to learning and improvement. Crucially, the conversation with the bereaved provides them with support at a difficult time, offering an opportunity to ask questions and give feedback to an independent doctor.
The Imperial Medical Examiner service has delivered independent review of all deaths in our hospitals since it was established in 2. Recent statutory changes mean that we now review all non-coronial deaths in both our acute hospitals and community in the boroughs of Westminster and Hammersmith & Fulham. In addition to our weekday service we provide a weekend and bank holiday service to support families who need urgent review for religious reasons.
Medical examiners (MEs) receive a combination of e-learning and face-to-face training via the Royal College of Pathologists, and are encouraged to take medical Examiner membership of the Royal College of Pathologists (RCPathME). It is recommended that MEs are consultant grade doctors from a range of disciplines (including GP principals). MEs will take a consistent approach to the formulation of MCCD content, which must be clinically accurate. MEs must be independent and not have been involved in the care of the deceased patients for deaths they scrutinise. They work as part of a team of Medical Examiners and Medical Examiners Officers.
This position reports to the Trust Lead Medical Examiner, with dual accountability to both the Trust Medical Director, and the London Regional Medical Examiner, and ultimately the National Medical Examiner.
These roles are part-time and are to be performed as part of a job plan that contains clinical and other activities. Up to two PAs are available in this round of recruitment.
About us
Medical Examiners have a number of responsibilities including:
To ensure compliance with the legal and procedural requirements associated with the current 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 national guidance.
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.
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, timely records of all deaths scrutinised, enabling analysis to provide information to healthcare providers and the National Medical Examiners office.
To support the training of junior 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 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 complete necessary training and engage with appraisal and feedback processes relating to the Medical Examiner role
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