Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Bereavement Officer/Mortuary Assistant (band 3) within the busy Mortuary and Bereavement Service at West Suffolk NSH Foundation Trust. The Mortuary is fully licenced by the Human Tissue Authority and approximately 450 post mortem examinations each year.
The Mortuary and Bereavement Service care for deceased patients from the hospital and the local community, under the jurisdiction of the Coroner. The successful candidate will join a small team of technical staff in delivering a very high standard service to deceased patients, bereaved families, funeral directors, coroner's office staff, police and other service users.
There are already good working relationships with other organisations involved with the processes following a death in Suffolk and surrounding areas; the postholder will have the opportunity to work with them and strengthen these relationships.
The successful candidate will be emotionally robust, compassionate, and self motivated. They will have excellent communication, IT, interpersonal, practical, and organisational skills. You will have a flexible approach to working, work well in a team and be able to show an ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
Main duties of the job
The role is to take first calls from bereaved families and provide advice and support of the practical steps following a death. It will also include organising a funeral when there is no next of kin, preparing the monthly woodland burial, recording and handing property to families and assisting with other administrative tasks within the department.
The Mortuary Assistant tasks will include assisting with the receipt and release of deceased patients, housekeeping and supporting technical staff as and when required.
Participation in training of other staff within the Trust and external organisations.
Liaising and working with external organisations such as the Coroner's Service, funeral directors, police, Trust staff and ambulance staff.
About us
#BeKnown at West Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust. By us. By our patients. By our community
We are a busy, friendly, rural NHS Trust providing high-quality care and compassion to more than a quarter of a million people across west Suffolk. We care for, treat and support people in hospital, at home and in various community settings.
The West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds provides acute and secondary care services (emergency department, maternity and neonatal services, day surgery unit, eye treatment centre, Macmillan unit and children's ward). It has 500+ beds and is a partner teaching hospital of the University of Cambridge.
Adult and paediatric community services, provided in collaboration with West Suffolk Alliance partners, include a range of nursing, therapy, specialist, and ongoing temporary care and rehabilitation, some at our Newmarket Community Hospital.
We do our utmost to achieve outstanding clinical outcomes for patients and our values of fairness, inclusivity, respect, safety and team work guide how we work and behave as a team.
With nearly 5,000 staff, from all over the world, we strive to make our organisation a great place to work. Whatever your role or ambition, we want to help you be the best you can be.
We promote a diverse and inclusive community where everyones voice counts and you can #BeKnown for whoever you are.
Join us. What will you #BeKnown for?
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see job description for full details.
- Under supervision participate in the provision of an effective service (technical and administrative), as appropriate, to the requirements of the Mortuary department.
- Under supervision carry out daily recording of post mortem details, and the maintenance of Eden, other databases, and mortuary records, as required.
- Under supervision assist in receiving deceased patients in strict accordance with mortuary procedures.
- Under supervision carry out the release of deceased patients in accordance with the law and departmental procedures.
- Under supervision, assist with the preparation of deceased patients for viewing by relatives.
- Assist in the decontamination of the post-mortem room, and other designated dirty activity areas, in accordance with department procedures.
- Act as a point of contact for the bereavement service and ensure effective communication between all staff, volunteers and departments within the Trust, service users, external/partner agencies, and members of the general public.
- Welcome, meet and escort staff and relatives to/from the mortuary and bereavement services, as required.
- Answer and deal with queries/enquiries by telephone, email and in person, responding where appropriate and refer.
- Be able to deal confidently and competently with people, be able to provide a sympathetic response to those who may be distressed by bereavement, in a calm and compassionate manner.
- Provide day-to-day administrative support and information, deal with daily departmental correspondence. Use of Microsoft Office.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see job description for full details.
- Under supervision participate in the provision of an effective service (technical and administrative), as appropriate, to the requirements of the Mortuary department.
- Under supervision carry out daily recording of post mortem details, and the maintenance of Eden, other databases, and mortuary records, as required.
- Under supervision assist in receiving deceased patients in strict accordance with mortuary procedures.
- Under supervision carry out the release of deceased patients in accordance with the law and departmental procedures.
- Under supervision, assist with the preparation of deceased patients for viewing by relatives.
- Assist in the decontamination of the post-mortem room, and other designated dirty activity areas, in accordance with department procedures.
- Act as a point of contact for the bereavement service and ensure effective communication between all staff, volunteers and departments within the Trust, service users, external/partner agencies, and members of the general public.
- Welcome, meet and escort staff and relatives to/from the mortuary and bereavement services, as required.
- Answer and deal with queries/enquiries by telephone, email and in person, responding where appropriate and refer.
- Be able to deal confidently and competently with people, be able to provide a sympathetic response to those who may be distressed by bereavement, in a calm and compassionate manner.
- Provide day-to-day administrative support and information, deal with daily departmental correspondence. Use of Microsoft Office.
Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential
- 5 GCSEs or equivalent
- Administration or customer care
- Relevant bereavement courses
Experience and knowledge
Essential
- Experience of working with bereaved people or in sensitive and emotional situations.
- Understanding of the Human Tissue Act
Desirable
- Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death.
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills. The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved.
- Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities.
- Competent in the use of IT software systems and handling sensitive personal identifiable data
Personal qualities
Essential
- Ability to deal with difficult and sensitive situations in an empathetic manner.
- Flexible approach to working hours and duties
- Attention to detail / self- motivated to deliver the highest possible standards and quality outcomes.
- Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
- Professional appearance, manner, and awareness of impact of own behaviour on others.
- Emotionally robust.
- Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances.
- Ability to prioritise and work under pressure.
Person Specification
Education and qualifications
Essential
- 5 GCSEs or equivalent
- Administration or customer care
- Relevant bereavement courses
Experience and knowledge
Essential
- Experience of working with bereaved people or in sensitive and emotional situations.
- Understanding of the Human Tissue Act
Desirable
- Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death.
Skills and abilities
Essential
- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills. The ability to communicate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders, including the recently bereaved.
- Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities.
- Competent in the use of IT software systems and handling sensitive personal identifiable data
Personal qualities
Essential
- Ability to deal with difficult and sensitive situations in an empathetic manner.
- Flexible approach to working hours and duties
- Attention to detail / self- motivated to deliver the highest possible standards and quality outcomes.
- Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
- Professional appearance, manner, and awareness of impact of own behaviour on others.
- Emotionally robust.
- Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances.
- Ability to prioritise and work under pressure.
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
