How patient safety partners have helped to shape the National Medical Examiner System (an NHS England podcast, June 2024)

Summary

Medical examiners are senior doctors who provide independent scrutiny of the causes of death and are supported by medical examiner officers. They provide that independent scrutiny in three ways.

• They carry out a proportionate review of the medical records
• They offer bereaved people an opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns.
• They also talk to the doctor who is completing the medical certificate of cause of death.

If medical examiners detect a concern, they pass it on to established clinical governance processes that are in place at the relevant provider to be looked at in more detail.

Two patient safety partners (PSPs) were a key part of NHS England's implementation group. As lay representatives, patient safety partners bring a different perspective in terms of patient safety that's been very valuable and ensures that bereaved people are central to the work. They also shared close family experiences with the group and championed an approach that ensured that the key material is available in 12 languages.

In this podcast, one of the PSPs describe their experience of working with NHS England and what they would recommend to others to enable real partnership in co-designing healthcare.