Working hours: Full time (37.5 hours per week)

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust has an exciting opportunity for a Medical Examiner Officer (MEO) to join our growing Medical Examiners Team.

This new role is part of the national implementation of the Medical Examiner Service in England and Wales

Main duties of the job

The Medical Examiner Service will:

• Strengthen safeguards for the public by providing robust, systematic and independent scrutiny of all deaths not referred directly to the Coroner.
• Improve the quality of death certification, providing advice based on a review of relevant health records.
• Avoid unnecessary distress for the bereaved by answering questions about the care given or certified cause of death, managing the Bereavement Services.

About us

The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust provides services to West Cheshire and to Welsh patients covered by Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board. The Trust works collaboratively within the wider Cheshire and Merseyside Health and Care Partnership. Its services are provided from three locations:

• The Countess of Chester Hospital: providing 438 general and acute beds
• Ellesmere Port Hospital: providing 56 beds as a rehabilitation, intermediate and outpatient facility
• Tarporley War Memorial Hospital: a base for community services which serve the local rural population.

The Trust employs over 6258 staff (headcount) which includes temporary bank staff and provides acute emergency and elective services, primary care direct access services and obstetric services to a population of approximately 407,000. This includes 357,000 residents in Chester and West Cheshire which includes Ellesmere Port and Neston as well as the Deeside area of Flintshire which has a population of approximately 50,000.

The Trust is a busy district general hospital and in 2022/2023, there were more than 503,342 patient attendances (inpatient, outpatient and diagnostic) ranging from a simple outpatient appointment to major cancer surgery. This is an increase of nearly 10,000 compared to the previous year when there were 494,387 patient attendances.

Job description

Job responsibilities

See Job Description for further details.

Recruitment selection processes are based on competence (see Person specification) and values.

Please note applicants will be required to pay for their DBS check. Costs are deducted from salary following appointment. The cost of the DBS application is £23 (standard) or £43 (enhanced), this cost will be deducted from your salary over the first three months of employment.

You are encouraged to enrol for the DBS Update Service. A small annual fee of £13 per year applies.

New entrants to the NHS will commence on the minimum of the scale stated above.

Applicants are advised to apply early as if a large number of applications are received for this post, we reserve the right to close the vacancy prior to the advertised date.

Good luck with your application.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to Bachelor's degree level or equivalent working knowledge in related field.
• Qualification/equivalent practical experience at an advanced level this might include nursing and/or other clinical experience.
• Completed e-learning MEO core training modules prior to starting in the post

Desirable

• Maintain NMC/AHP/HCPC Registration

Knowledge and Experience

Essential

• A commitment to life-long learning and undertaking personal development opportunities
• Experience of working with people in sensitive and emotional situations.
• General knowledge of clinical/medical terminology.
• Knowledge of the statutory process around death certification legal frameworks and how the medical examiner system aligns with other related organisations and NHS initiatives

Desirable

• Experience of working in a healthcare setting with multi-disciplinary teams across organisational boundaries
• Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death
• Knowledge of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system.
• Full understanding of the medical examiner system operational remit when incorporated within Bereavement Services or as a standalone office.

Employer details

Employer name

Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Countess of Chester Hospital

Liverpool Road

Chester

CH2 1UL

Any attachments will be accessible after you click to apply.

210-2024-946