Job summary
Guys and St Thomas' are looking for an experienced Administrative Assistant to join our Mortuary team in the heart of Central London. Based on the River Thames, the hospitals could not be in a better location to enjoy the city and are within walking distance of all that London has to offer. GSTT has a reputation for being an employer of choice with a dynamic working environment and great opportunities for professional growth.
Main duties of the job
The post holder will be based within the Mortuary and provide a vital support role to the Mortuary Assistant, Anatomical Pathology Technologists and Consultant Pathologists within this very busy department.
They will also be the first point of contact for bereaved families, friends and carers as well as liaising with our external stakeholders.
To be the right person for this post you will thrive on working in a fast paced environment, enjoy the challenge of adapting to changing priorities and be a natural team player.
About us
Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK's best known hospitals - Guy's, St Thomas', Evelina London Children's Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield - as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation.
We are among the UK's busiest, most successful foundation trusts. We provide specialist care for patients including heart and lung, cancer and renal services as well as a full range of local hospital and community services for people in Lambeth and Southwark.
We have around 22,700 staff, making us one of the largest NHS Trusts in the country and one of the biggest employers locally. We aim to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve and continue to develop new and existing partnerships with local people, patients, neighbouring NHS organisations, local authorities and charitable bodies and GPs.
We strive to recruit and retain the best staff as the dedication and skills of our employees lie at the heart of our organisation and ensure that our services are of the highest quality, safe and focused on our patients.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Key Relationships
Mortuary Assistant, Anatomical Pathology Technologists, Bereavement Officers, Service Manager, Consultants, Junior Doctors, Nurses, Medical and Nursing Students, Biomedical scientists and various external stakeholders; Funeral Directors, Coroners Officers, Police Officers.
- Duties and Responsibilities
Organisational and Administrative
- To organise the office work area
- To establish and maintain high standards of work within the office area.
- To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good working practices for the standards of ISO accreditation and the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) codes of practice.
- To organise the daily case list in consultation with the APT staff.
- To liaise with and book appointments for funeral directors and/or family to collect deceased patients from Guys and St Thomas Mortuaries.
- To management appointment diaries
- To book viewings as required and liaise with relevant stakeholders to ensure adequate attendance by qualified staff.
- To maintain professional links with external statutory offices concerned with the administration of death by communicating in an effective and professional manner.
- To book groups attending the Mortuary for lectures in consultation with APT staff.
- To provide secretarial assistance to the department and management team.
- To organise patient transfers when required
- To maintain the departmental filing systems to an acceptable standard in order to comply with ISO and HTA standards.
- To ensure the provision of effective telephone answering service for department.
- To issue official documentation from the department under the direction of APTs.
- To maintain professional competency and dexterity in those precision based physical tasks, e.g. keyboard skills and maintain the levels of concentration required maintaining a quality service.
- To take minutes at meetings as required
- To identify and participate in audits within the department
- To adhere to all departmental standard operating procedures, policies and health and safety regulations.
- To keep the workplace and work areas clean and tidy
- To control access to the Mortuary within working hours.
Clinical and Laboratory Informatics
- To arrange for the safe collection and transportation of human tissue and samples and to maintain accurate records of dispatch and receipt
- To take case referrals from external service users in liaison with the APTs.
- To obtain relevant clinical information as required for cases including collection from departments if required.
- To enter data onto the Mortuary and Bereavement Microsoft CRM system correctly and with care
Procurement
- To assist the APTs in requisitioning and maintaining adequate supplies of office and Mortuary consumables
- To assist with liaison and emergency call out of engineers and companies related to Mortuary equipment.
- To maintain adequate levels of up to date printed stores
Quality
- To establish and maintain high standards of work in the office and to ensure effective liaison between the Mortuary and all its stakeholders.
- To be aware of the requirements of data protection
- To attend departmental meetings as required
- To adhere to all regulations as set out by the HTA
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Key Relationships
Mortuary Assistant, Anatomical Pathology Technologists, Bereavement Officers, Service Manager, Consultants, Junior Doctors, Nurses, Medical and Nursing Students, Biomedical scientists and various external stakeholders; Funeral Directors, Coroners Officers, Police Officers.
- Duties and Responsibilities
Organisational and Administrative
- To organise the office work area
- To establish and maintain high standards of work within the office area.
- To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good working practices for the standards of ISO accreditation and the Human Tissue Authority (HTA) codes of practice.
- To organise the daily case list in consultation with the APT staff.
- To liaise with and book appointments for funeral directors and/or family to collect deceased patients from Guys and St Thomas Mortuaries.
- To management appointment diaries
- To book viewings as required and liaise with relevant stakeholders to ensure adequate attendance by qualified staff.
- To maintain professional links with external statutory offices concerned with the administration of death by communicating in an effective and professional manner.
- To book groups attending the Mortuary for lectures in consultation with APT staff.
- To provide secretarial assistance to the department and management team.
- To organise patient transfers when required
- To maintain the departmental filing systems to an acceptable standard in order to comply with ISO and HTA standards.
- To ensure the provision of effective telephone answering service for department.
- To issue official documentation from the department under the direction of APTs.
- To maintain professional competency and dexterity in those precision based physical tasks, e.g. keyboard skills and maintain the levels of concentration required maintaining a quality service.
- To take minutes at meetings as required
- To identify and participate in audits within the department
- To adhere to all departmental standard operating procedures, policies and health and safety regulations.
- To keep the workplace and work areas clean and tidy
- To control access to the Mortuary within working hours.
Clinical and Laboratory Informatics
- To arrange for the safe collection and transportation of human tissue and samples and to maintain accurate records of dispatch and receipt
- To take case referrals from external service users in liaison with the APTs.
- To obtain relevant clinical information as required for cases including collection from departments if required.
- To enter data onto the Mortuary and Bereavement Microsoft CRM system correctly and with care
Procurement
- To assist the APTs in requisitioning and maintaining adequate supplies of office and Mortuary consumables
- To assist with liaison and emergency call out of engineers and companies related to Mortuary equipment.
- To maintain adequate levels of up to date printed stores
Quality
- To establish and maintain high standards of work in the office and to ensure effective liaison between the Mortuary and all its stakeholders.
- To be aware of the requirements of data protection
- To attend departmental meetings as required
- To adhere to all regulations as set out by the HTA
Person Specification
Qualifications/Education
Essential
- 5 A*-C GCSEs or equivalent
- Microsoft Office computer skills (Word, Outlook, Excel)
- Excellent communication skills (Written and verbal)
- General computer literacy
- Understanding of issues related to data confidentiality
Desirable
- AMSPAR Qualification
- LCCI Private Secretary's certificate or diploma
- Committed to continuing professional development
Skills/Knowledge/Ability
Essential
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Ability to adapt to changing work patterns
- High degree of numeracy
- Experience of tactfully and efficiently dealing with a variety of internal and external professionals and clients/patients ensuring their needs are met
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to: (i) relate to a diverse group of professional staff and public (ii) communicate clearly in writing, face to face and on the phone, (iii) convey sensitive information in an appropriate manner
- Excellent organisational skills, with a demonstrable ability to manage and prioritise workload and work methodically, efficiently and accurately
- Ability to work within a team and develop good working relationships with colleagues at all levels
- Understanding of confidentiality and its application and maintenance in and out of the workplace
Experience
Essential
- 1 year minimum working experience in a secretarial/administrative/ technical appointment in a Mortuary, Funeral Directors or medical environment
Physical requirements
Essential
- Regular requirement to use VDU
Additional information
Essential
- To be flexible in their approach to the work, according to priorities and changing organisational systems
Person Specification
Qualifications/Education
Essential
- 5 A*-C GCSEs or equivalent
- Microsoft Office computer skills (Word, Outlook, Excel)
- Excellent communication skills (Written and verbal)
- General computer literacy
- Understanding of issues related to data confidentiality
Desirable
- AMSPAR Qualification
- LCCI Private Secretary's certificate or diploma
- Committed to continuing professional development
Skills/Knowledge/Ability
Essential
- Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines
- Ability to adapt to changing work patterns
- High degree of numeracy
- Experience of tactfully and efficiently dealing with a variety of internal and external professionals and clients/patients ensuring their needs are met
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to: (i) relate to a diverse group of professional staff and public (ii) communicate clearly in writing, face to face and on the phone, (iii) convey sensitive information in an appropriate manner
- Excellent organisational skills, with a demonstrable ability to manage and prioritise workload and work methodically, efficiently and accurately
- Ability to work within a team and develop good working relationships with colleagues at all levels
- Understanding of confidentiality and its application and maintenance in and out of the workplace
Experience
Essential
- 1 year minimum working experience in a secretarial/administrative/ technical appointment in a Mortuary, Funeral Directors or medical environment
Physical requirements
Essential
- Regular requirement to use VDU
Additional information
Essential
- To be flexible in their approach to the work, according to priorities and changing organisational systems
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.
