Senior Medical Examiner Officer

South Wales Central Region

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full time Senior Medical Examiner Officer to join a developing all Wales Medical Examiner Service as part of the national implementation of the Medical Examiner system in England and Wales. The aim of this service is to be able to scrutinise deaths within acute hospitals within one year of development of the service, and by Summer 2023 to be able to take on the responsibility of reviewing the circumstances of all community deaths in the corresponding areas. To do this, we aim to develop a responsive and fluid service, which is adaptable to the needs of the Health Boards, our patients and our workforce.

Initial contracts will be for a fixed term of 12 months, or shorter, which will be dependent on the successful completion of work-based training. Upon completion of the RCPath MEO competency portfolio, the position will become permanent

Medical Examiners will conduct an independent examination of deaths in order to establish the correct cause of death, and identify cases where further investigation into the circumstances of that death is necessary. The role of the Medical Examiner is to support Medical Examiners in their role in scrutinizing the circumstances and causes of death. This support will include: Discuss cases and assist in drawing up causes of death with the attending medical practitioners and Medical Examiners. Discussion with the bereaved relating to explaining the causes of death and identification, and gathering information relating to concerns. Communicate the opinion and advice of the Medical Examiners to medical professionals, Coroner's offices, registration services and the bereaved. To be a point of contact and a source of advice for service users and the Medical Examiners and Officers in the area

The ability to speak Welsh is desirable for this post; Welsh and/or English speakers are equally welcome to apply.

At NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership we have high standards and expect everyone to embrace our values of Listening & Learning, Working Together, Taking Responsibility & Innovating, whilst ensuring trust, honesty and compassion are implicit in everything that we do.

We are adaptable, agile and flexible and pride ourselves on being a learning organisation - one where it is safe to make mistakes, where blame is replaced by opportunity, learning and improvement. innovation is built into everything that we do.

We recognise our people regularly and have an Appreciation Station, to encourage staff to applaud exemplary behaviour in one another, alongside an Annual Staff Recognition Award ceremony aligned to our values.

We respect and value our people and strive for a culture of compassion and inclusivity. We are a bilingual organisation, and we have a team of Change Champions who advocate ‘This is Our NWSSP’ our principal change programme. Similarly, PROUD is our new staff network welcoming LGBT+ colleagues and allies to come together in a safe space for discussions, event planning and the opportunity to build supportive networks.

We have a comprehensive benefits package where there is something for everyone, supporting health, engagement and wellbeing and includes an Employee Assistance Programme. We have over 30 Mental Health First Aiders and work in partnership with local and national organisations to ensure the well-being and resilience of our people.

This role incorporates administrative skills to ensure the necessary paperwork is accurate and complete, but will also require excellent communication skills when liaising with doctors, nurses, families and where appropriate, Coroners services and Registration. Part of the day to day work will also include reviewing patient notes and gathering information that the Medical Auditor may need to scrutinize the medical records, so a good practical knowledge of medical terminology and clinical understanding is required. As a senior Medical Audit Officer you will work closely with the Lead Medical Audit Officer for Wales to ensure that the Service is provided in your region, and you will need to monitor the performance and quality of the local service and provide regular reports and statistical analysis. The Senior Medical Examination Officer will have some line management responsibility for the medical examination officers in the area and will be involved in preparing staff rotas and work schedules for Examiners and Medical Officers, and addressing service and training needs at a local level. The Senior Medical Examining Officer will also act as a source of knowledge and expertise for local Medical Examining Officers and can provide day-to-day support and guidance to them on the clinical and practical aspects of the Medical Examining Officer role.