Mortuary & Bereavement Services Manager

Job description

Job responsibilities

Establish and build agreements within the team to ensure the delivery of the services provided.

Ensure area has a quality management framework that complements the Trust use of key performance indicators across a number of metrics, using service line reporting/management to ensure timely and accurate capture of information from which metrics reported.

Work closely with the Service Managers, Histopathologists and Designated Individual to ensure effective support services are in place for all clinical areas.

Ensure facilities and other resources are available to meet service needs, including analysing and managing space requirements.

Ensure all policies and procedures are adhered to as required by the Trust.

Responsible for achievement of national and local service targets in conjunction with Directors and General Manager; monitor performance against targets, identify areas of concern and take remedial and preventative action as appropriate putting in place plans to improve performance where required.

Respond to any service target breaches in line with Trust standards and put in place remedial plans to ensure such events do not occur again

As a member of the management team, contribute to the annual Business Plan, ensuring staff involvement, in line with Trust objectives.

Manage the analysis of data so that the Management team has access to timely and accurate information on all key performance indicators.

Lead on the development of reporting processes from relevant information systems and integrating them into the performance management function.

Provide information across the Trust on performance within Directorate, including reporting performance to the Board.

Promote a positive image of the department both externally and internally.

Participate in and contribute to Trust wide initiatives and projects as appropriate.

Build effective networks with other departments, working in collaboration to support efficient patient flow.

• Advise and liaise with non-departmental staff (i.e. clinicians, ward staff, staff in other Trusts, bereavement teams) re all aspects of care of the deceased.
• Advise and liaise with external agencies (i.e. Coroner, funeral directors, social services, police officers, GM Mass fatalities team) re clinical aspects of care of the deceased.

Management and Leadership

To provide professional leadership and management of the mortuary and bereavement services across GSTT. To ensure an effective service, in line with local and national policy.

To provide technical advice in the area of specialised anatomical pathology technology and care of the deceased patients to the organisation.

To be an active member of the Trusts End of Life Care Committees, providing guidance and assurance on mortuary activities.

Support workforce plans which anticipate service changes and developments and which address recruitment, retention and workforce supply issues to minimise the impact of these on service delivery.

Work with Lead Clinicians, Matrons and Head of Nursing, multi-disciplinary team to identify requirements for posts and sources of funding and to make decisions regarding funding for changes to roles.

Lead and support organisational change and wider organisation to ensure efficient service delivery and productivity and compliance with Trust and NHS targets; this could include consultation with staff and promoting new ways of working, implementing new policies and procedures.

Full line management responsibilities including recruitment, induction, appraisal, development and retention of staff as well as managing sickness and absence, disciplinary and performance issues that may arise.

Responsible for developing and motivating staff through effective personal leadership, ensuring views and decisions are communicated both up and down the management structure.

Chair disciplinary, grievance and other formal panels, as and when required.

Quality, Risk and Governance

Lead on resolving complaints and concerns from patients, staff, suppliers, other internal and external service providers and partner organisations; as part of the engagement with patients strategy ensure mechanisms are in place for capturing and sharing compliments.

Lead on investigating and responding to complaints in line with Trust Policy.

Ensure adherence to control processes and risk management arrangements including developing specific polices/procedures as appropriate.

Develop systems for the monitoring of compliance with internal and external governance and best practice requirements.

To ensure the mortuaries are compliant with HTA codes of practice, and all appropriate CQC standards.

To ensure that mortuary is ready for inspections, including Care Quality Commission and Human Tissue Authority .

Responsible for ensuring the audit schedule is implemented across the mortuary sites

Responsible for reporting and investigating non-conformances in the mortuary service, including completing and reviewing error logs and subsequent actions.

To keep up-to-date with current Mortuary and Bereavement practices and guidance from the Health and Safety Executive and any other professional bodies e.g. Human Tissue Authority and DoH.

To ensure lessons are learned from post-event analysis, proactive risk assessments and timely dissemination.

Financial Management

Manage delegated budget responsibilities for area, ensuring income capture, adherence to agreed budget plans, identifying savings and implementing plans to reduce costs as appropriate.

Work with the Finance Manager to ensure budgets are up to date and accurate, identify changes to budgets as required.

Identify costs pressures, service development and cost improvement plans, develop business cases to meet requirements and present to local Performance Review Meetings, Clinical Operations Group and Trust Management Executive as required.

Ensure compliance with Trust standing financial instructions.

Strategy, Change and Service Improvement

Identify opportunities for service redesign, focusing on a patient centred approach to delivery; work to develop and lead plans to improve and develop services.

Participate in Trust and area wide programmes that contribute to the modernisation of patient services.

Investigate processes and define root cause problems in order to make service improvements in line with Trust strategy and modernisation initiatives.

Support the General Manager with the creation of an environment that is responsive to the changing needs and strategy of the Trust including AHSC developments, changing patterns of healthcare and healthcare commissioning.

Act as management lead for the implementation of NSFs and other initiatives

Responsible for the delivery of agreed change and service improvement projects and initiatives.

Work with colleagues to assist in the development and implementation of R&D, teaching and training programmes as required.

Responsible for regular audit/surveys to support and inform service development.

Person Specification

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential

• oRelevant Masters, equivalent professional qualification or equivalent experience.
• oEvidence of recent Continuing Professional Development.
• oRSPH Certificate & Diploma of Anatomical Pathology Technology, or RSPH Level 3 and 4 Diploma in Healthcare Science (Anatomical Pathology Technology)

Desirable

• oCompleted e-learning MEO core training modules
• oPrince 2 qualification or equivalent experience
• oUnderstanding of lean methodology

Previous experience

Essential

• Supervision, training and teaching Healthcare professionals
• oEvidence of managing successful project and / or operational performance a
• Operational experience in managing complex services including design, development, implementation and management of change in a multiple stakeholder environment.
• Experience of managing complex budgets from a range of income sources and demonstrable evidence of individual, team, financial, process and change management.
• Extensive experience working as an Anatomical Pathology Technologist.

Desirable

• oKnowledge and understanding of the changing NHS environment, strategy, and policy agendas.
• oExperience of working within the Medical Examiner framework.

Skills

Essential

• oPractical knowledge of current mortuary & bereavement practices and legislation
• oKnowledge of Human Tissue Act
• oKnowledge of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system. Full understanding of the medical examiner system operational remit when incorporated within Bereavement Services.
• oKnowledge of the Coroner & Justice Act 2009 reference to the medical examiner system. Full understanding of the medical examiner system operational remit when incorporated within Bereavement Services.
• oHighly effective people and project management skills.
• oUse advanced analytical and judgement skills including understanding and application of complex statistical and numerical data.
• oWork flexibly, prioritise workloads and resource them in response to changing demands and requirements.
• oExcellent interpersonal, communication (written, oral, presentation, facilitation), networking and negotiation skills with a track record in consistently delivering performance targets and writing complex business cases, policies and change.
• oExcellent management skills including motivating and coaching staff.
• oExcellent organisational skills and the ability to prioritise, meet deadlines and delegate effectively.
• oAbility to find innovative ways of solving or pre-empting problems.
• oIT literate, including competency in MS Office programmes and in particular in Excel.

Desirable

• oExtensive knowledge of contract management.
• oExcellent understanding and track record of successful change and project management.
• oExtensive knowledge of operations and / or project management methodologies and techniques.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust

Address

St Thomas' Hospital

Westminster Bridge Road

London

SE1 7EH

Employer's website

https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/careers/careers.aspx (Opens in a new tab)