Job summary
We have an exciting opportunity to join our Mortuary team as a band 3 Mortuary Assistant. We are looking for someone with a compassionate approach to both the deceased and their bereaved loved ones. You will need an eye for detail, as well as a high standard of both written and verbal communication skills. You will be a team player who can quickly form good working relationships with key stakeholders both within and external to the NHS. The role will be based at Southmead Hospital however may be required to work at St Michael's Hospital as needed. The role will work closely with the Anatomical Pathology Technologists, patient affairs team, Chaplaincy team and the Medical examiner service team.
Main duties of the job
Severn Pathology provides a perinatal / paediatric post-mortem service for Southwest England and a body storage service for Southmead Hospital. As part of a small team of Mortuary staff, provide an effective and sensitive mortuary service to the North Bristol NHS Trust, completing work to a high standard and within expected time-frames in order to meet service demands. The service includes management and administration of hospital deaths, administration for post-mortems, preparing bodies for viewing and facilitating the provision of a limited number of invasive autopsy techniques.
The post holder will be required to work in all areas of mortuary services St Michaels Hospital and Southmead Hospital as and when required.
About us
North Bristol NHS Trust (NBT) is the largest acute trust in the South West of England. NBT is a National Health Service trust, providing hospital and community healthcare services to Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset. Southmead hospital is a designated Major Trauma Centre, as well as a regional referral centre for renal medicine, urology, vascular and transplant surgery, neurology and neurosurgery.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Under the supervision of APT staff:
Clinical Duties
- Participate in the management of the body storage facilities within the mortuary service including release of deceased to funeral directors.
- Liaise with medical staff to ensure completion of all documentation relating to the disposal of the deceased, e.g. cremation papers.
- Assist with the removal and disposal of pacemakers and defibrillators.
- Facilitate and assist (if required) in the harvest of tissues and organs for transplantation.
- Ensure that requests for hospital post-mortem are enacted in an appropriate and timely manner.
- Participate in processes relating to perinatal / paediatric deaths and bereavement, including funeral arrangements.
- Participate in the preparation of the deceased for viewing by relatives and other authorised personnel.
- Participate in the processes for the management and sensitive disposal of pregnancy remains.
- Provide support and advice to the bereaved.
- Participate in the cleaning and sterilisation of instruments, equipment and premises.
- Assist in the maintenance of supplies and equipment used within the mortuary.
- Work in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) developed for use in the department. Assist in the development and review of these as required.
- Ensure that the exchange of information is accurate at all times, through competent verbal and written skills.
- To carry out cleaning and dressing of the deceased as required.
- To ensure that all persons treat the deceased with dignity and respect at all times.
Administrative Duties
- Deal with telephone enquiries from hospital staff, bereaved relatives and friends, Funeral Directors, Coroners officers and other outside agencies.
- Participate in data entry and maintenance of all mortuary record systems.
- Receive and record cremation fees from Funeral Directors.
- Record and secure valuables from deceased.
- To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good working practices for the standards of UKAS accreditation.
- To book viewings and when necessary to accompany relatives for the viewing.
- To work closely with the chaplaincy to ensure that religious and cultural differences are observed as far as is reasonably practicable.
- To work closely with Patient Affairs/Bereavement team to ensure after death process runs in a smooth and timely manner.
- To ensure patient confidentiality is maintained at all times.
- To receive and store ordered consumables and to report any deficiencies to the Mortuary Manager.
- To monitor stock levels of consumables and inform the Mortuary Manager so that supplies can be ordered on a timely and efficient basis.
Training and Development
- Participate in staff appraisal according to Trust policies and procedures.
- Ensure that a high level of personal competence, confidence and professionalism is maintained through continual personal development.
- To attend all mandatory training sessions as set out by the trust ensuring online training is kept up to date.
Quality Management
- Ensure that all legal documentation relating to the mortuary is completed correctly and on time.
- The post holder will process the mortuary workload to the required high standard, whilst ensuring adherence to Trust and Departmental policies, protocols and procedures.
Health and Safety
- Work according to the regulations and codes of practice governing aspects of Health and Safety relevant to the department. Assist in ensuring that documentation remains relevant and accurate.
- To adhere to all departmental and mortuary health and safety regulations and policies.
- To ensure that all workplaces are clean and tidy.
- To ensure that all staff and visitors wear suitable personal protective clothing and equipment when visiting the mortuary.
- To provide funeral directors with advice regarding the infectious status of routine and high-risk cases, without breeching patient confidentiality.
- To advise the bereaved-on health and safety when viewing high risk deceased.
- To report and remedy where possible any instance or event which may cause a service delivery failure.
- To report any risks, clinical or non-clinical incidents or near misses promptly and in accordance with Trust policies.
- To attend statutory or mandatory health and safety training.
Information Technology and Equipment
- Comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
- To adhere to trust policy regarding the use of hospital information systems.
- To be competent in the use of specialist mortuary equipment and implement first line repairs and daily routine maintenance procedures.
- Assist in maintaining the integrity and accuracy of mortuary and laboratory databases.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Under the supervision of APT staff:
Clinical Duties
- Participate in the management of the body storage facilities within the mortuary service including release of deceased to funeral directors.
- Liaise with medical staff to ensure completion of all documentation relating to the disposal of the deceased, e.g. cremation papers.
- Assist with the removal and disposal of pacemakers and defibrillators.
- Facilitate and assist (if required) in the harvest of tissues and organs for transplantation.
- Ensure that requests for hospital post-mortem are enacted in an appropriate and timely manner.
- Participate in processes relating to perinatal / paediatric deaths and bereavement, including funeral arrangements.
- Participate in the preparation of the deceased for viewing by relatives and other authorised personnel.
- Participate in the processes for the management and sensitive disposal of pregnancy remains.
- Provide support and advice to the bereaved.
- Participate in the cleaning and sterilisation of instruments, equipment and premises.
- Assist in the maintenance of supplies and equipment used within the mortuary.
- Work in accordance with the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) developed for use in the department. Assist in the development and review of these as required.
- Ensure that the exchange of information is accurate at all times, through competent verbal and written skills.
- To carry out cleaning and dressing of the deceased as required.
- To ensure that all persons treat the deceased with dignity and respect at all times.
Administrative Duties
- Deal with telephone enquiries from hospital staff, bereaved relatives and friends, Funeral Directors, Coroners officers and other outside agencies.
- Participate in data entry and maintenance of all mortuary record systems.
- Receive and record cremation fees from Funeral Directors.
- Record and secure valuables from deceased.
- To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely to ensure compliance with good working practices for the standards of UKAS accreditation.
- To book viewings and when necessary to accompany relatives for the viewing.
- To work closely with the chaplaincy to ensure that religious and cultural differences are observed as far as is reasonably practicable.
- To work closely with Patient Affairs/Bereavement team to ensure after death process runs in a smooth and timely manner.
- To ensure patient confidentiality is maintained at all times.
- To receive and store ordered consumables and to report any deficiencies to the Mortuary Manager.
- To monitor stock levels of consumables and inform the Mortuary Manager so that supplies can be ordered on a timely and efficient basis.
Training and Development
- Participate in staff appraisal according to Trust policies and procedures.
- Ensure that a high level of personal competence, confidence and professionalism is maintained through continual personal development.
- To attend all mandatory training sessions as set out by the trust ensuring online training is kept up to date.
Quality Management
- Ensure that all legal documentation relating to the mortuary is completed correctly and on time.
- The post holder will process the mortuary workload to the required high standard, whilst ensuring adherence to Trust and Departmental policies, protocols and procedures.
Health and Safety
- Work according to the regulations and codes of practice governing aspects of Health and Safety relevant to the department. Assist in ensuring that documentation remains relevant and accurate.
- To adhere to all departmental and mortuary health and safety regulations and policies.
- To ensure that all workplaces are clean and tidy.
- To ensure that all staff and visitors wear suitable personal protective clothing and equipment when visiting the mortuary.
- To provide funeral directors with advice regarding the infectious status of routine and high-risk cases, without breeching patient confidentiality.
- To advise the bereaved-on health and safety when viewing high risk deceased.
- To report and remedy where possible any instance or event which may cause a service delivery failure.
- To report any risks, clinical or non-clinical incidents or near misses promptly and in accordance with Trust policies.
- To attend statutory or mandatory health and safety training.
Information Technology and Equipment
- Comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure and confidential processing, and storage of patient and other laboratory information.
- To adhere to trust policy regarding the use of hospital information systems.
- To be competent in the use of specialist mortuary equipment and implement first line repairs and daily routine maintenance procedures.
- Assist in maintaining the integrity and accuracy of mortuary and laboratory databases.
Person Specification
Education/Training/Qualifications/Experience
Essential
- Numerate and Literate (minimum 4 GCSE's including English, Maths and a Science subject
- Previous experience within healthcare or as a funeral director
Desirable
- Knowledge and Experience of Mortuary practice
- Knowledge of basic medical terminology
Person Specification
Education/Training/Qualifications/Experience
Essential
- Numerate and Literate (minimum 4 GCSE's including English, Maths and a Science subject
- Previous experience within healthcare or as a funeral director
Desirable
- Knowledge and Experience of Mortuary practice
- Knowledge of basic medical terminology
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).
