Mortuary Assistant

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please note: This role does not meet the minimum criteria for visa sponsorship under the current UK immigration rules, which set specific salary and skill thresholds. As such, we are unable to provide sponsorship for this post. Applicants will therefore need to already have the right to work in the UK to be considered. We include this information at the outset to provide clarity and avoid unnecessary inconvenience for applicants.

If you are applying using a Graduate visa as your right to work, you must have a minimum of 18 months remaining on your visa at time of application.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Communication

There is a considerable amount of liaison with members of the team, other hospital staff and users of the service. It is essential that a friendly, courteous, and professional manner is promoted at all times. Strong communication skills are required within the team to ensure the continual and efficient running of the service.

The post holder is expected to establish and maintain positive interpersonal relationships with other staff members characterised by trust, mutual respect and open, honest communication, including external organisation personnel, West Sussex Coroner, Coroners Officers, Trust contracted Funeral Director(s), WSCC Representatives/Officers and Sussex DVI (Disaster Victim Identification) Team.

In accordance with appropriate policies and procedures communicate with bereaved relatives, Coroner, Coroners Officers, Funeral Directors, WSCC personnel and all other users of the Mortuary facility in a positive and effective manner to deliver a high quality Mortuary Service.

In the absence of the Senior Mortuary Assistant, to maintain the communication of any relevant information to other Mortuary staff to ensure the continual and efficient running of the Mortuary Service.

To respectfully communicate with bereaved relatives who wish to view their deceased.

Service Delivery and Improvement

To participate in the provision of a high quality, cost-effective service covering all aspects of the Mortuary, including:

a) To receive and release deceased patients and their property in accordance with the (SOP) Standard Operating Procedure

b) To inform Funeral Directors if an implantable cardiac device is still within the deceased and to ensure implantable defibrillators are de-activated prior to release of the deceased.

b) To perform daily body checks on deceased patients admitted overnight in accordance with the SOP.

c) Assist the Anatomical Pathology Technologists (APTs) with movement of deceased between body stores and post-mortem room.

d) Transfer tissues/samples to other locations/departments and occasionally receive these, completing the necessary HTA related traceability paperwork.

e) Supporting the Mortuary users in helping to provide an effective Trust-wide Mortuary Service.

f) To admit, organise the cremation of and release sensitive disposals

g) To receive, file, record and dispose of post-mortem samples and tissues in accordance with the SOP

h) To assist the APT at forensic post-mortems with the transfer, manipulation of the deceased patient and reconstruction.

i) To facilitate organ retrieval on hospital cases e.g Eye donations.

j) To organise viewings, both Coronial and Hospital, preparing, facilitating, and transferring patients to and from the viewing room, coronial cases under supervision of an APT.

k) Assisting in stock control, receiving stock,stock monitoring, sign goods delivery notes, checking supplies deliveries and sending, receiving, and storing laundry items.

l) Abide by all Mortuary and Trust SOPs/policies, contribute to internal audit programmes and corrective actions.

m) Transfer deceased between sites or other locations at the request of the Senior Mortuary Assistant, Lead APT, their deputy or the Tier 1 on call APT (out of hours) using the Mortuary deceased transfer vehicle and equipment, ensuring dignity and traceability is always maintained. Undertake any training or assessments required for this.

n) Maintaining a safe & hygienic working environment, including general housekeeping, fridge cleaning, etc.

o) To participate in general cleaning and housekeeping duties to include cleaning of the fridge compartments.

p) To contribute to developing the service to ensure that delivery is safe, efficient, cost-effective and follows Best Practice. Attend relevant Mortuary related meetings/huddles.

q) The post-holder will be expected to participate in the departmental Tier 2 on-call rota, relating to out-of-hours duties, involving rotation with the other Mortuary Assistants, once fully signed-off on appropriate competencies. Agenda for change payments will be payable for these duties.

r) To be HTA consent trained, renewing this every 2 years. To review consent/patient identification prior to any organ retrieval.

s) To perform general administration duties

People Management and Development

The post holder is expected to maintain CPD

To continue to develop expertise in all practical and theoretical aspects of Mortuary safe practice.

To keep up to date with current legislation (HTA and Health and Safety) regarding mortuary practices, post- mortem room procedures and organ retention.

Maintain personal development through internal courses, educational meetings, update courses, in-house cases presentations and development programmes, in addition to external courses and meetings

Contribute to regular team briefs

Patient Care Delivery

To meet and greet bereaved relatives including those who wish to carry out their own funeral (D.I.Y. Funerals), assisting them in the procurement of the correct paperwork, presenting the deceased within the supplied coffin prior to the family collecting the deceased before the funeral.

To ensure all deceased are stored in a dignified manner in accordance with Trust/Mortuary and HTA standards and to reconstruct deceased at forensic post-mortem to a high standard under the direction and supervision of an APT.

To undertake reception, care and release of the deceased, including organisation of viewings, care of personal property, recording of documentation, etc.

Learning and Development

Attend mandatory training updates as required.

Undertake training as necessary in line with the development of the post and as agreed with the line manager as part of the personal development process.

Achieve and demonstrate agreed standards of personal and professional development within agreed timescales.

Identify own learning needs and jointly plan training requirements with your line manager

Participate in the Trusts appraisal process to discuss how your role will help deliver the best possible care to our patients and help to deliver any changes in service.

Person Specification

Essential and desirable

Essential

• Educated to NVQ level 3 or equivalent level of experience
• Good level of Numeracy and English
• Full Driving licence (cat b)
• Proven ability to work as part of a team
• Demonstrable ability to receive and understand data of varying levels of complexity
• Demonstrable ability to communicate in an empathic manner over sensitive issues
• Attention to detail and working with accuracy and precision
• Ability to deal with emotionally distressing situations in a sympathetic and professional manner
• Ability to plan own day to achieve goals set e.g. completing tasks set in a timely fashion without compromising quality
• Computer skills, using Microsoft Word and Excel, other software packages
• Evidence of continued CPD
• Ability to recognise and monitor parameters of quality, accuracy and imprecision
• Ability to deal with frequent exposure to highly unpleasant working conditions.
• Knowledge of the HTA code of practice A consent and B post mortem
• Ability to cope with frequent "Lone Worker" situations.
• Participation in the Out-Of-Hours (OOH) Service on a rotational basis with the other Mortuary Assistants. (once signed-off on appropriate competencies).

Desirable

• Registration with the Association of Anatomical Pathology Technologists as an associate member (currently voluntary).
• Experience of mortuary or undertaker's duties
• Experience in working with deceased patients.
• Clean Full Driving licence

Equality and Diversity

Essential

• Evidence of having undertaken own development to improve understanding of equalities issues
• Evidence of having championed diversity in previous roles (as appropriate to role).

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.

Employer details

Employer name

University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust (279)

Address

Worthing Hospital

Worthing

BN11 2DH

Employer's website

https://www.uhsussex.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)