Job responsibilities
Job Summary
- To assist with the day to day running of the department.
- To take on the responsibilities given by the Mortuary Manager or senior staff members.
- To maintain a high standard of service within the mortuary.
- To study to attain the status of APT by relevant qualifications.
To communicate effectively with:
Anatomical Pathology Technologists (APTs) liaise with a range of people including medical staff (e.g. Pathologists, GPs and Clinicians), nursing staff and police. APTs also liaise with Funeral Directors, Spiritual Care Personnel and the bereaved.
Internal Relationships
Mortuary Staff
Patient Services
Infection Control
Trust Medical Staff
Senior Managers
Other Trust departments
Pathology Staff
External Relationships
Police
Home Office Pathologists
Kent Ambulance
Coroner
GPs
Undertakers
Patients & Clients
Carers
Families
Visitors
Communities and Community Representatives
Workers from other agencies
Specific Responsibilities
- Clinical responsibilities:
- The key responsibilities of a Trainee Anatomical Pathology Technologist (TAPT) are administration and record keeping. As well as records of the deceased and property within their care, the Trainee is responsible, after suitable training, for recording samples, specimens and organs and their appropriate disposal.
- TAPTs must ensure that the bereaved are dealt with sympathetically and respectfully. They are involved in arranging and conducting viewings, offering advice and gaining consent from the relatives for post mortem examinations.
- TAPTs need to be aware of the diversity of religious and cultural issues surrounding death and act appropriately.
- After suitable training and under the supervision of the senior APTs other responsibilities for a TAPT include:
- providing advice regarding documentation and medico legal issues
- maintaining the mortuary and post mortem room
- ensuring equipment and instruments are kept clean, sterile and ready for use
- taking samples for clinical examination, transplant or research
- advising junior medical staff on post mortem procedures and examinations
- ensuring legal documentation is dealt with correctly
- prepare the deceased for viewings by relatives
- Under supervision from the Pathologist and Senior APT to undertake training to enable the post holder to perform Coroner post mortems
- Under supervision from the APTs remove pace makers and other devices prior to collection by funeral directors
- Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust do not undertake hospital post mortems; however Coronial post mortems are performed on the Darent Valley Site and the TAPT will provide assistance to a pathologist in conducting these, once competencies have been signed off and the Trainee deemed fit for practice.
- The extent of involvement and responsibility of the TAPT during the post mortem examination will increase as the post holder gains skills and knowledge.
- After extensive training and under the supervision of the Senior APTs the trainee will be responsible for the reconstruction of the deceased after examination and this is an important skill.
- Managerial responsibilities:
- Assist police and coroners offices where required
- Assist with monitoring stock levels of supplies.
- Assist with liaising with Patient Services to ensure that the correct documents are received in the mortuary.
- To ensure that specimens and request forms are kept per Trust or Department of Health guidelines
- To ensure specimens are transported to the Pathology Laboratories as per Trust guidelines
- Maintaining the mortuary in a clean and tidy condition in accordance with code of practice.
- Ensuring that the correct Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is followed when releasing a deceased to the Funeral Directors.
- To ensure the correct Standard Operating Procedure is followed when preparing the deceased for viewing
- To comply with the terms and condition of the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information (FOI)
- Under supervision prepare bodies for post mortem examination
- General administrative support to the other Trust Departments
- To provide data for Development and Audit when required.
- To continually challenge and review working practices
- Professional responsibilities:
- Maintain appropriate professional relationships to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of the Service within Pathology and across the Trust.
- Education and development responsibilities:
- A general level of education to include English, spoken and written. Whilst training to be a qualified APT the following skills are to be developed with an expected understanding in each:
- To work in anatomical pathology, you will need effective verbal and written communication skills and be confident with technology and systems/processes. APTs have to be able to work as part of a team as well as on their own initiative.
- An APT has to have good knowledge of anatomy and be able to identify a wide range of commonly found pathology.
- Working in the mortuary environment you require a good understanding of Health & Safety including infection control, moving and handling and risk assessment. All these are important to ensure the wellbeing of staff and visitors to the mortuary.
- To adhere to statutory, mandatory and Trust Departmental policies, procedures and protocols appropriate to work.
- Where appropriate work towards achieving the level 3 Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology as issued by the Royal Society of Public Health
- General responsibilities:
- Trust policies and procedure
To adhere to the Trusts agreed policies and procedures.
To promote and develop the equality of opportunity in accordance with the Trusts Equal Opportunities Policy
To protect the confidentiality of information relating to the Trust, Patient and Staff or other agencies
To provide a quality service to internal and external agencies and participate/develop clinical governance within sphere of responsibility.
All Trust employees are required to be familiar with, and comply with, Trust polices and guidelines for infection control and hand hygiene in order to prevent the spread of healthcare-associated infections. For clinical staff with direct patient contact, this will include the uniform and dress code policy, the use of personal protective equipment guidance, the guidance on aseptic techniques and the safe handling and disposal of sharps. All staff are required to attend mandatory training in Infection Control and be compliant with all measures known to be effective in reducing healthcare-associated infections.
To share responsibility for abiding by health and safety policies and regulations, infection prevention and control policies and act in accordance with the Risk Management Policy.
It is the responsibility of all staff to minimise the Trust's environmental impact by recycling wherever possible, switching off lights, computers, monitors and equipment when not in use, minimising water usage and reporting faults promptly.
5.8 Our Behaviours
All staff are expected to behave in accordance with Our Behaviours.The five areas of focus are the responsibility of each individual and should be the basis for all work undertaken within the Trust.
5.9 Safeguarding
The Trust expects all employees to adhere to the principle that safeguarding children and adults is everybodys responsibility, including the escalation of any concerns.
5.10 Our Values
The Trust is committed to providing high quality services and in 2014 we engaged over 300 staff to help us develop values that underpin how we approach our responsibilities.
Our Values are critical to our success and we expect all staff to adhere to them:
- Delivery high quality CARE WITH COMPASSION to every patient.
- Demonstrating RESPECT AND DIGNITY for patients, their carers and our colleagues.
- STRIVING TO EXCEL in everything we do.
- Sustaining the highest PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS, showing honesty, openness and integrity in all our actions.
- WORKING TOGETHER to achieve the best outcomes for our patients.
Our Values are supported by Our Behaviours which we rely on every member of staff to exhibit.
