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East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Strategic Operational Lead for Mortuary & Bereavement Services

The closing date is 03 December 2025

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Job summary

We are seeking an experienced and innovative leader to provide clinical, operational and strategic leadership across our Mortuary, Bereavement and Medical Examiner Services at Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals.

As the professional lead and Designated Individual named on the Trust's Human Tissue Authority (HTA) Licences, you will ensure that all services operate in full compliance with HTA standards and codes of practice. You will lead a team dedicated to delivering safe, effective and compassionate care for deceased patients and support for the bereaved with dignity, respect and sensitivity at all times.

This is a key leadership role requiring a balance of strategic vision, operational excellence and professional expertise to continue to integrate and develop our services. You will be an engaging and collaborative leader, confident in managing diverse teams and skilled at building strong working relationships with external agencies including Coroner's Services, Police, Funeral Directors and Local Authorities.

You will be a qualified Anatomical Pathology Technologist with a Level 4 Royal Society for Public Health Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology (or equivalent), and bring significant experience of working within a complex mortuary environment.

Through visible and compassionate leadership, you will continue to develop a culture of inclusivity and continuous improvement, ensuring ESNEFT remains an employer of choice.

Main duties of the job

  • Provide effective leadership and management of the Mortuary, Bereavement and Medical Examiner Services across ESNEFT, in line with local and national policy
  • Act as Designated Individual named on the HTA Licences for both sites, with responsibility for ensuring full regulatory compliance with HTA Standards and Codes of Practice.
  • Be responsible for the Medical Examiner Service for all non-acute deaths including community hospital sites.
  • Contribute to the development and delivery of the service and financial strategy including responsibility for monitoring the service budget and ensure the achievement of financial balance
  • Lead and develop technical services in the Mortuary, ensuring safe, high-quality and dignified care for the deceased.
  • Provide specialised training for relevant staff groups in after death care, death certification, Medical Examiner work and Coronial law including nursing staff, porters and staff from external organisations.
  • Liaise with and be responsible for supporting the Medical Examiners to enable every death to be scrutinised prior to the issuing of the medical certificate for cause of death (MCCD).

About us

We are ESNEFT and we provide hospital and community health services to almost one million people across east Suffolk and north Essex. Our dedicated staff deliver care from acute hospitals in Colchester and Ipswich, community hospitals, surgeries, community clinics and in patients' own homes

We are one of the largest NHS organisations in England, employing more than 12,000 staff

We pride ourselves on supporting our staff. We offer a wide range of training and development opportunities, as well as flexible working options

Along with supporting you to achieve your career goals we offer a generous pension scheme, unsocial hours payments (where applicable), 27 days annual leave on commencement (pro rata) and access to a range of NHS discounts. Our Staff Health and Wellbeing programme offer a variety of services

Our philosophy is that Time Matters to everyone. Across the Trust, we concentrate on improving the things we do and removing those which cause time delays for our staff and patients

We are investing in our commitment to Time Matters with a partnership with leading electronic patient record (EPR) supplier Epic. This digital transformation will bring what's widely regarded as the world's best EPR system to ESNEFT, transforming life in hospital for staff and patients

If you are passionate about patient care and want to develop your skills and knowledge, then we want to hear from you

Find out about living and working here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=GkPu7HphU8A

Details

Date posted

12 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR872-25

Job locations

Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals

Colchester and Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Job description

Job responsibilities

For full details of the responsibilities and duties of this role please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Experience and Qualifications

Essential

  • Holds the RSPH Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology
  • Substantial years post qualification experience.
  • Holds a leadership and management qualification at degree level and/or equivalent experience.
  • An understanding of Human Tissue Authority Codes of Practice, Regulatory compliance and standards

Desirable

  • Further formal qualifications relevant to the job role.
  • Has attended an audit skill course.

Experience & Knowledge

Essential

  • Substantial continuous mortuary practice experience.
  • Business planning.
  • Process redesign.
  • Understanding of relevant government agenda and legislation.
  • Change management
  • Able to show an extensive and thorough knowledge of all aspects of the mortuary service.
  • Experience of managing, mentoring and training staff.
  • Extensive leadership and management experience with an ability to lead a team and manage staff through a range of HR processes.
  • Detailed knowledge of HTA regulations and experience of external QA inspection.
  • Proven experience of Quality management and clinical governance processes including audit.
  • Able to perform clinical and technical risk assessments and resolve issues or investigate complaints as part of Clinical Governance.
  • Financial management.
  • Extensive knowledge of national and professional and NHS guidelines relating to service provision and quality.

Desirable

  • Experience of service development and strategic planning.
  • Project management experience.
  • Participation in Continual Professional Development through the AAPT.
Person Specification

Experience and Qualifications

Essential

  • Holds the RSPH Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology
  • Substantial years post qualification experience.
  • Holds a leadership and management qualification at degree level and/or equivalent experience.
  • An understanding of Human Tissue Authority Codes of Practice, Regulatory compliance and standards

Desirable

  • Further formal qualifications relevant to the job role.
  • Has attended an audit skill course.

Experience & Knowledge

Essential

  • Substantial continuous mortuary practice experience.
  • Business planning.
  • Process redesign.
  • Understanding of relevant government agenda and legislation.
  • Change management
  • Able to show an extensive and thorough knowledge of all aspects of the mortuary service.
  • Experience of managing, mentoring and training staff.
  • Extensive leadership and management experience with an ability to lead a team and manage staff through a range of HR processes.
  • Detailed knowledge of HTA regulations and experience of external QA inspection.
  • Proven experience of Quality management and clinical governance processes including audit.
  • Able to perform clinical and technical risk assessments and resolve issues or investigate complaints as part of Clinical Governance.
  • Financial management.
  • Extensive knowledge of national and professional and NHS guidelines relating to service provision and quality.

Desirable

  • Experience of service development and strategic planning.
  • Project management experience.
  • Participation in Continual Professional Development through the AAPT.

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

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals

Colchester and Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Employer's website

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

Employer details

Employer name

East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust

Address

Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals

Colchester and Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Employer's website

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

Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

Divisional Nursing Director

Sarah Orr

sarah.orr@esneft.nhs.uk

07384878583

Details

Date posted

12 November 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 8b

Salary

£64,455 to £74,896 a year per annum

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

432-HR872-25

Job locations

Colchester and Ipswich Hospitals

Colchester and Ipswich

IP4 5PD


Supporting documents

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