Lead Medical Examiner

at  Barking Havering and Redbridge Univ Hospitals NHS Trust

The Lead Medical Examiner is a key senior appointment suitable for an individual who is committed to ensuring that we scrutinise and learn from deaths that happen within our hospitals and in the community.
This post will lead the Medical Examiner (ME) Service at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust and be responsible for providing senior clinical leadership to other MEs as well as other clinical and administrative staff who support the ME function. The post holder will also undertake scrutiny work.
The role has a significant profile internally and externally. This position has dual accountability to both the Trust Medical Directors, also the London Regional Medical Examiner and ultimately the National Medical Examiner.
We are looking for a clinical leader who is resilient, is clinically credible, has integrity, is open and can communicate effectively with a wide range of people, crucially with our staff, community partners, patients and the public. The post holder will be expected to use these qualities to improve engagement of these key people at a time when the role of the medical examiner is changing and extending nationally.
Up to two PAs are available for the Lead ME role one of which is for immediate scrutiny of deaths. Applicants newly appointed to the Trust will have a job plan of their own specialty for the suitable candidate.
Lead Medical Examiner
The Lead ME interacts with many clinical specialities, general practitioners and community partners to provide proportionate but robust scrutiny of the medical circumstances leading up to the patients death and all medical aspects of death certification.
This includes reviewing the clinical notes, discussion with and supporting Clinicians, overseeing coronial referrals and providing medical advice for the Coroner. However, most importantly this provides independent support and transparent explanation to the bereaved, giving them the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns.
The Medical Examiner Service at BHRUT is based cross site at Queens and King George Hospitals. When first introduced the service scrutinised hospital-based deaths but now this is extended to community deaths also. Currently the service operates between 08:00 am and 05:00pm, Monday to Friday and more recently during the weekends.
We provide care for the residents of three diverse London boroughs. Most of our 7,800 permanent staff live in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge and the majority are from black, Asian and minority ethnic groups. We also provide healthcare services to people in south west Essex, and specialist neurosciences services to the whole of the county.
Our services include all the major specialties of large acute hospitals and we operate from two main sites - King George Hospital in Goodmayes and Queen’s Hospital in Romford. We have two of the busiest emergency departments in London – more than 300,000 people visited our A&Es in 2023. We also provide outpatient services at Brentwood Community Hospital, Barking Community Hospital, Loxford Polyclinic, and Harold Wood Polyclinic.
We’re pleased to be leading the way in reducing the time our patients wait to get the treatment they need. The Elective Surgical Hub at King George Hospital is one of eight to be accredited as part of a national scheme ; the Care Quality Commission has raised the ratings for urgent and emergency care at Queen’s and King George hospitals; and data released by NHS England showed that the Trust was the most improved in 2023 for reducing waits for emergency care.
We are particularly proud of our regional Neurosciences Centre; Radiotherapy Centre; Hyper Acute Stroke Unit; and dedicated breast care service at King George Hospital. We’re also part of the North East London Cancer Alliance .
For further information, please refer to the job description and person Specification attached to the vacancy.
Applications should be made online, however, queries regarding the application process, assistance with completion of the application form or if you require any adjustments (for applicants with a disability) please contact Azeez, Recruitment Advisor, on 01708 435000 ext. 4440

Please refer the Job description for details