Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London and as well as specialist care for patients from further afield including cancer, renal, orthopaedic, respiratory and cardiovascular services. Guy’s is home to the largest dental school in Europe and a £160 million Cancer Centre opened in 2016. As part of our commitment to provide care closer to home, in 2017 we also opened a cancer centre and a kidney treatment centre at Queen Mary’s Hospital in Sidcup. St Thomas’ has one of the largest critical care units in the UK and one of the busiest emergency departments in London. It is also home to Evelina London Children’s Hospital. Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across south east England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. We lead a number of specialist service networks aiming to ensure children are treated locally where possible, but have access to specialist expertise when they need it. Our community services include health visiting, school nursing and support for families of children with long-term conditions. Our adult community services teams deliver care at the heart of the local communities we serve, working in partnership with GPs, local authorities and other healthcare and voluntary sector organisations. Working with our partners in Lambeth and Southwark, we are focusing on new ways of working to improve care for local patients. In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research. We have a reputation for clinical excellence and high quality teaching and research. We are part of King’s Health Partners, one of eight accredited UK academic health sciences centres. In partnership with King’s College London we have dedicated clinical research facilities including an MHRA accredited Phase I clinical trials unit. Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’. The commitment of our 23,500 staff is key to our success. We are one of the largest local employers and we aim to develop and support all our staff so they are able to deliver high quality, safe and efficient care. The 2019 NHS staff survey results show that we have one of the most engaged and motivated workforces in the NHS. We know this has a positive impact on the care provided to our patients. We have one of the most ambitious capital investment programmes anywhere in the NHS. Job overview Title: Medical Examiner Officer / Senior Patient Advice & Liaison/Bereavement Officer Specialty Administration Band 5 - pro rata per annum - outer HCA Contract 12 months Hours : Part time 7.5 hours per week (one day a week Wednesday) Site : Harefield Main duties of the job We are looking for a hard-working, team player who is compassionate and able to manage grieving relatives with empathy and angry patient and relatives. This is an exciting opportunity to join an enthusiastic team who are passionate about bereavement and patient care. Bereavement & Medical Examiner Officer The Bereavement & Medical Examiner Officer (B&MEO) role is to work closely with the Medical Examiner (ME), providing advice & support to Doctors regarding the legal requirements relating to the certification of death, including referral to HM Coroner. The B&MEO will be the first point of contact for the bereaved, providing advice & support regarding the ME process, coronial referrals, cause of death, registration of death and signposting for ongoing emotional support. Job summary for PALS The role will include working to rapidly resolve concerns and issues in a manner which ensures that patients have the best possible experience of care, and which promotes learning to prevent future issues and concerns arising. The post holder will work with divisional teams to ensure that issues and concerns are handled and responded to in a manner which meets the needs and expectations of our patients. The post holder will be responsible for supporting the day to day running of the PALS service for the Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals. Additional tasks Support a small group of volunteers Working for our organisation Guy’s and St Thomas’ is among the UK’s busiest and most successful NHS foundation trusts. We provide a full range of hospital and community services for people in south London . Evelina London cares for local children in Lambeth and Southwark and provides specialist services across southeast England including cardiac, renal and critical care services. In February 2021 the Royal Brompton and Harefield joined Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, bringing together world-leading expertise in the care and research of heart and lung disease. Our merger provides a once in a generation opportunity to build a lasting, world-renowned heart and lung centre, providing the highest quality care for patients and conducting world-leading research. Patients are at the heart of everything we do and we pride ourselves on ensuring the best possible patient experience as well as safe, high quality care. We are proud to have one of the lowest mortality rates in the NHS. Following a comprehensive Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection in 2019 we maintained our overall rating of ‘good’. Our adult community services achieved a rating of ‘outstanding’. Detailed job description and main responsibilities JOB DESCRIPTION Medical Examiner Officer and Senior Pals Officer GENERAL INFORMATION: Pay Band: Band 5 Job base: Brompton and Harefield Hospital sites Responsible for: A small number of volunteers Responsible to: Bereavement and Lead Medical Examiner Officer Accountable to: Head of Patient Experience Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) - Enhanced Job summary Patient Services incorporates PALS, informal complaints, formal complaints, bereavement, patient experience and voluntary services, delivering high quality services to those who need help. This post works alongside the Lead MEO to provide a continuous service. The post holder is also an experienced Pals officer. The post holder will: To be a first point of contact for those with concerns or enquiries about the hospital and to help resolve their concerns. To co-ordinate all areas concerned with the death of a patient at the Hospitals. Be a recognised Medical Examiner Officer (MEO) for the Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals Be co-ordinating and supporting the RBH and HH hospitals medical examiners in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death. To be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals and coroner and registration services. In the absence of the Lead MEO support the Clinical Governance Lead in the review of RB & HH deaths, the inquest process, and supporting staff who are required to take part in this process. Overseeing the development/training of all staff on the processes after death The appointee will be a member of the PALS team. Main tasks and responsibilities: Patient/customer care (both direct and indirect) – including care of the bereaved. As a Senior Pals Officer to provide front-line problem-solving facility for those who may be angry or distressed by: Ensuring any problems have been resolved to the satisfaction of the patient, families, and carers. Advise on the formal complaints procedure if the issue cannot be resolved through PALS. Arrange meetings with relevant staff (PALS and bereavement) and with service users who may be angry or distressed. Keep accurate records and data of Pals activity. Liaise with other organisations that may be able to support the patient/relatives. Ensure PALS and bereavement information is present and up to date in all relevant parts of the hospital. Ensure safekeeping and delivery of deceased patient property. When acting as the Medical Examiner Officer the postholder will: To assist in establishing the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the medical examiner. To assist in referring deceased patients to the coroner for further investigation on approval by the medical examiner Maintain an awareness of the diverse needs of service users to ensure equality to any group defined by sex, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender reassignment or disability. Policy Development Contribute towards content of new policies and update of existing policies. Service development Make recommendations to line manager where issues indicate a need for improvement in the Clinical Groups/Trust services. Contribute to publicity on the team’s services. People Management Volunteers form an important part of PALS by visiting patients and informing them about the service. Patients or relatives may make volunteers aware of problems. Support PALS volunteers by advising on appropriate action on concerns patients express to them. Record volunteer feedback. To be a point of contact for volunteers. Support a small group of volunteers who help patients. The postholder will also provide support for the Pals administrator Communication Those who use our services may be angry or distressed and the post holder must be able to manage such situations appropriately. Form positive working relationships with all staff, including pathology and lead clinicians and with external agencies e.g. Registrar of Births Deaths and Marriages and HM Coroner’s Office. Meet bereaved relatives and ensure that they are provided with full and accurate information enabling them to register a death. Liaise with Funeral Directors to facilitate prompt removal of deceased patients To be trained in the consenting process under the Human Tissue Act 2004. To ensure that you attend communication skills training and keep updated on these skills. Resource Management Ensure the Family room is kept clean, welcoming, and appropriately equipped. Maintain complete records of cremation forms to accurately facilitate payment of cremation fees Information management Ensure that data information systems are appropriately maintained; manage the operation of systems which process, update and store information relevant to the ME/Bereavement service. Use the bereavement record system to produce reports for use within various departments including audit and pathology to monitor causes of death, post-mortem rates and HM Coroner referrals. Take responsibility of ensuring bereavement packs are made up and distributed to the wards and adequate stock of bereavement paperwork is available Be able to obtain consent for post-mortem tissue retention and analysis from families. . Produce reports from Datix and other systems. Take responsibility for comment cards distribution, collection, recording and Ensure all information about PALS and bereavement is available as necessary. Ensure all relevant parties are informed when a patient has died in hospital. Produce monthly, quarterly, and annual reports for services covered as required. Deal with in-coming correspondence, phone calls and messages. Maintain a filing system. Person specification essential Essential criteria Experience of dealing directly with members of the public, in person, on the telephone or in writing. Conflict resolution: Managing difficult situations where people may be bereaved, angry or distressed. Working in a busy environment, managing competing demands. Desirable criteria Experience of supporting the bereaved either professionally or personally essential Essential criteria Experience of dealing directly with members of the public, in person, on the telephone or in writing. Desirable criteria Experience of working with volunteers. essential Essential criteria Sensitive to the needs of patients, their relatives and carers and able to take control Guy’s and St Thomas’ celebrates, respects and values the diversity of its staff and patients. We review our policies, procedures and practices to ensure that all employees, patients and carers are treated equitable according to their needs. We are actively committed to ensuring that no one who applies for a job, works or study’s at the Trust, or accesses our services is discriminated against on the grounds of race, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion or belief, age, gender identity , gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity/paternity, or marital/civil partnership. Applications are welcomed from applicants with a disability. We can make reasonable adjustments and offer support and advice in a variety of ways throughout the application process. Equality of opportunity is our policy. As an organisation we are committed to developing our services in ways that best suit the needs of our patients. This means that some staff groups will increasingly be asked to work a more flexible shift pattern so that we can offer services in the evenings or at weekends. Flexible working We are committed to supporting all employees to achieve a healthy work life balance and to work in a way that is best for them and our patients. We will consider all requests to work flexibly, taking in to account the individual’s personal circumstances as well the needs of the service. We encourage all prospective applicants to discuss their individual circumstances with the recruiting manager as part of the on-boarding process. Your e-mail address is important to us - We communicate to all job applicants via the e-mail address which has been provided on the application form. Please ensure that you check your e-mail on a regular basis. Please apply for this post by clicking "Apply Online Now." Applicant requirements This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service. Further details / informal visits contact Name Kulbir Gill Job title Lead MEO & Bereavement and Voluntary Service Email address [email protected] Telephone number 01895 8285638