Mortuary Assistant

Job overview

Want to try something different?  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 but could be expected to work cross site (St Michael's Hospital). 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

North Bristol NHS Trust 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 medical procedures.

A successful candidate must have the emotional strength to deal with all duties whilst maintaining calm, mature and compassionate disposition.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Please refer to the attached job description and personal specification for further details.

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.
• Participate in the preparation of the deceased for viewing by relatives and support the bereaved during their visit.
• Provide support and advice to the bereaved.

• Assist with the removal and disposal of pacemakers and defibrillators.

• Facilitate and assist (if required) in the harvest of tissue 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 processes for the management and sensitive disposal of pregnancy remains.

• 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 security of the department and 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, Coroner’s officers and other outside agencies.

• Participate in data entry and maintenance of all mortuary record systems.

• 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 and the standards of Human Tissue Authority licencing.

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.