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Job summary

Main area
Medical Examiner
Grade
NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Part time - 1 session per week (1 PA to be provided flexibly to meet the needs of the service)
Job ref
382-DOC89-26
Employer
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Blackpool Victoria Hospital
Town
Blackpool
Salary
Dependant on Experience
Closing
30/07/2026 23:59

Employer heading

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Medical Examiner

NHS Medical & Dental: Consultant

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is situated on the west coast of Lancashire, with services covering the local authority areas of Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre. The Trust is part of the Lancashire and South Cumbria Integrated Care System (ICS) supporting a population of around 1.6 million people.

We have three main hospitals providing acute services to around 330,000 local residents. The organisation also provides specialist tertiary care for cardiac and haematology services, delivers community health services to over 445,000 residents including those in North Lancashire and hosts the National Artificial Eye Service across England. Plus, we provide urgent and emergency care services to an estimated 18 million people who visit the seaside resort each year. We employ over 7000 people from 68 different countries.

We welcome and encourage application from anyone with protected characteristics, as well as supporting reservists and Veterans who are looking for a rewarding and challenging career within the NHS.

Blackpool Teaching Hospitals encourages flexible working in all our roles to support staff in maintaining healthy home-life balance.  Working patterns such as: part time working, self-rostering, compressed hours, annualised hours, term time, reverse term time and flexitime working can be explored. 

 


Job overview

The Medical Examiner Service at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has been established successfully since 2020. We are now looking to recruit 2 x enthusiastic and highly motivated Medical Examiners (MEs) for 1 x PA/Sessions per week each.

Our service of MEs and Medical Examiner Officers (MEOs) combine clinical and administrative skills, compassion and sensitivity and a commitment to engage with bereaved families to complete a review of every in-hospital and community death across Blackpool and the Fylde Coast.

 

In addition to effective scrutiny of MCCDs (death certificates), MEs provide medical advice to coroners and advice to certifying doctors. They work with NHS colleagues to use the information they collect to support clinical governance and they assist in training doctors and other healthcare professionals on the appropriate certification of death.

All Medical Examiner undergo formal training appropriate to the role, as stipulated by the Royal College of Pathologists, and will continue to train on the job as part of a lifelong learning role.

Main duties of the job

The ME Office is an independent service hosted by Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. The role of the team is to: -

·         provide greater safeguards for the public by ensuring proper scrutiny of all non - coronial deaths

·         ensure the appropriate referral of deaths to the coroner

·         provide a better service for the bereaved and an opportunity for them to raise any concerns to a Doctor not involved in the care of the deceased

·         improve the quality of death certification

·         improve the quality of mortality data

Working for our organisation

As one of the United Kingdom's largest coastal resort, Blackpool has plenty to offer its residents - it's not just a good place to work; it's a great place to live. In addition to its bustling centre and historic seafront, the town is world famous for its many attractions, including the famous Blackpool Tower. Blackpool also offers a number of scenic cycling routes round our local parks and across the surrounding countryside, as well as boasting panoramic views of the coast on its picturesque Promenade. Further afield, Blackpool also benefits from less than three-hour connections via rail to Edinburgh in the north and London in the south.

 

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The Medical Examiners (MEs) are appropriately trained doctors who will verify clinical information on Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs) and ensure that the right referrals are made to the coroner for further investigation. A practicing medical practitioner who has been on the General Medical Council register for a minimum of five years post registration can apply to be a medical examiner. It is recommended that medical examiners are consultant grade doctors from a range of disciplines (including GP Principles). MEs will take a consistent approach to the formulation of MCCD, content, which must be clinically accurate and reflect any discussions with the next of kin/informant. MEs must not have been involved in the care of the deceased patients for deaths they scrutinise. The Medical Examiner office is hosted by the Acute Trust but remains independent in its function to independently scrutinise all deaths within the Blackpool area.  

Person specification

Education & Qualification

Essential criteria
  • Full registration with the General Medical Council
  • Clearance by Occupational Health to carry out the full range of duties of the post.
  • Completion of the mandatory components of the national online medical examiner curriculum.
  • Completion of the face-to-face RCP training programme
Desirable criteria
  • Postgraduate qualifications in a relevant subject

Expreince & Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Up-to-date knowledge of causes of death and an understanding of the legal frameworks associated with death certification processes.
  • Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of practicing as a Medical Examiner
  • Experience of managing/delivering postgraduate training.

Skills and ability

Essential criteria
  • Ability to identify available data sources to support the detection and analysis of concerns and to recognise gaps in available knowledge.
  • IT skills including use of email and commonly used office software
  • Willingness to undertake training required for the job.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

Veteran AwareNo smoking policyDefence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) - SilverDisability confident employer

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Dr Harriet Preston
Job title
Lead Medical Examiner
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01253 953413
Additional information

Dr Carolina Resende Espada

[email protected]

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