NHSCT Healthcare Assistant Mortuary Band 3

Job details

• Branch: Antrim Hospital
• Location: Antrim Hospital Site: Laboratory
• Directorate: Surgical & Clinical Services Division
• Functional Area: Laboratories Service
• Salary: Band 3 (£24,937 - £26,598)
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 15/10/26
• Closes: Thu, 29 October 2026 @ 5:00 PM
• Interview Dates: To Be Confirmed

Notes

Online and Manual applications accepted. If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR. Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage. A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week. Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Part Time (18.75 hours, 0.5 WTE) Healthcare Assistant (Mortuary)

BAND: 3

DIRECTORATE/DIVISION: Surgical, Womens Health & Diagnostic Services

INITIAL LOCATION: Mortuary, Dept. Cellular & Molecular Pathology, Antrim Area Hospital

REPORTS TO: Mortuary Lead and the Head Biomedical Scientist and Histology Lead, Cellular & Molecular Pathology

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Head Biomedical Scientist and Histology Lead, Cellular & Molecular Pathology

FLEXIBLE WORKING

PROVISIONS AVAILABLE: Fixed working pattern; Part-time working;

JOB SUMMARY

The post holder will be a member of the Cellular & Molecular Pathology department’s support staff team offering a range of duties and activities to support an efficient and effective mortuary service. The post holder will assist in supporting the day-to-day mortuary duties and support 24-hour on-call rota cover.

KEY RESULT AREAS / MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES

Support the day-to-day duties of the mortuary.

Communicate with internal (e.g. medics, nurses, portering, bereavement staff) and external (Police, Coroners, Next-of-Kin, family) service users in regards to mortuary services and operations.

Record all body transfers in and out of the Antrim mortuary site, (e.g. transfer to other HSC Trust for post-mortem).

Participate in out of hours, on-call, extended day, weekend work rotas and conditioned hours which may include future 24/7 working arrangements.

Clean, disinfect and maintain the mortuary facilities to Trust policies and procedures, to ensure that it is hygienic, safe and efficient at all times, including bodily fluids and contaminated equipment.

To work within the standards set out by the Mortuary, Department, Trust, UKAS, Human Tissue Act, and other national standards under the supervision and direction of Head Biomedical Scientist, Leads and Senior Biomedical Scientists.

Provide advice to new or less experienced staff.

The reception, identification, and storage of all bodies in secure safe and hygienic conditions.

Keep accurate paper and electronic records and identification details of all bodies received in the mortuary, including body transfer forms, consent forms, identification checks and property.

To discharge bodies and their property to authorised persons only in accordance with the law.

To assist with the transfer of babies/infants into caskets for release.

To assist police and families in the identification of the deceased and to deal sympathetically with the bereaved.

Dress, lift and manoeuvres the deceased on a daily basis, including babies and infants, as well as disfigured bodies.

To maintain adequate stock levels within the mortuary, understand stock and equipment requirements and have a programme in place to monitor and report when items of equipment require replacement.

Follow standard operating procedures (SOPs) at all times, suggest changes as appropriate and follow policy.

As directed, attend meetings relevant to the department and mortuary service.

To control and track the movement of material for home or hospital burial from early pregnancy loss, working with the laboratory and Biomedical Scientist team to offer an effective service.

Perform and record mortuary cleaning and maintenance duties, recording errors in accordance with departmental SOPs and logging faults with the Estates dept.

To archive all records in accordance to the department document retention policy.

Ensure timely completion of departmental audits under under senior staff direction.

Additional duties within the mortuary may be assigned by Section Head Biomedical Scientists, Leads and Head Biomedical Scientist.

To co-operate with all staff in the department in the promotion of an integrated, efficient service.

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Employees of the Trust will be required to promote and support the mission and vision of the service for which they are responsible and:-

At all times provide a caring service and to treat those with whom they come into contact in a courteous and respectful manner

At all times demonstrate practice the HSC values of Working Together, Excellence, Openness & Honesty and Compassion

Carry out their duties and responsibilities in a manner which assures patient and client safety

Comply with all instructions in regard to Infection Prevention and Control

Demonstrate their commitment by their regular attendance and the efficient completion of all tasks allocated to them

Comply with the Trust’s Smoke Free Policy

Carry out their duties and responsibilities in compliance with health and safety policy and statutory regulations

Adhere to equal opportunities policy throughout the course of their employment

Ensure the ongoing confidence of the public in service provision

Adhere to the Code of Conduct for HSC Employees which aims to guide staff, managers and employers in the work that they do and the decisions and choices they have to make. Professional staff are expected to follow the code of conduct for their own professions as well as this code.

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency. The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the NHSCT Raising Concerns Policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

RECORDS MANAGEMENT

All employees of the Northern Health & Social Care Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, including patient/client, corporate and administrative records whether paper based or electronic and also including e-mails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environment Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant and to comply with the Northern Health and Social Care Trust policies on Information Governance including (for example) the ICT Security Policy, Data Quality and Data Protection Policy and Records Management Policy and to seek advice if in doubt.

SALARY

£24,937 - £26,598 per annum (pro-rata for part-time)

RIGHT TO WORK IN THE UK

Please note this role may not meet the requirements for a Skilled Worker visa (including a Heath and Care Worker visa) and the Trust therefore would be unable to employ anyone that requires Sponsorship. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/uk-visas-and-immigration).

HOURS

Normal full-time hours of duty are 37½ hours per week, exclusive of meal times

MEDICAL

Appointment will be subject to a successful pre-employment health assessment.

HOLIDAYS

27 days each year; 29 days after 5 years’ service; 33 days after 10 years’ service and 10 statutory and public holidays.

PENSION

The post-holder can participate in the Health Social Care Pension Scheme.

NORTHERN TRUST BENEFITS

You can explore the benefits on offer to you in the Northern Trust by clicking here

PROBATIONARY PERIOD

You will serve a probationary period of normally six months.

WAITING LIST

A waiting list may be compiled for similar part time posts which may arise within the next 6 months in the Northern Trust, Surgical, Womens Health & Diagnostic Services, Cellular & Molecular Pathology,

PAY PROTECTION

Legacy Trust Staff who apply for a promotion after 1 April 2011 should be aware that they will lose their legacy protection arrangements and will be entitled to pay protection in accordance with circular HSS (JNF)(1) 2011. This circular will also apply to legacy staff who are currently in receipt of protection and who move post on promotion.

Completed application forms should be returned to the BSO Recruitment and Selection Shared Services Centre, on or before the closing date as stated in the advertisement.

Canvassing, either directly or indirectly, will be an absolute disqualification.

We will review this Job Description and it may include any other duties and responsibilities we determine in consultation with the jobholder. We do not intend it to be rigid and inflexible but rather to provide guidelines within which the jobholder works.

(June 2026)

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

Title of Post: Part Time (18.75 hours, 0.5 WTE) Healthcare Assistant (Mortuary)

Band of Post: 3

Notes to applicants

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

Volunteering experience may be considered appropriate in particular for roles within the context of direct patient/client care.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Qualifications/ Registration

Experience

5 GCSEs (Grades A-C)

to include a English, Mathematics and one Science

and

Minimum of 2 years’ mortuary/portering experience

Shortlisting by Application Form

Other

Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. This criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills / Abilities

Able to use electronic system

Able to use initiative and work to deadlines

Possess good communication skills

Able to work effectively within a team

Possess strong interpersonal skills

Interview / Test

Knowledge

Knowledge of pathology services

Knowledge of mortuary services

Knowledge of Encompass and Laboratory Information Management System

Knowledge of Trust Policies (bereavement)

Knowledge of ISO15189:2022 and Human Tissue Authority

Value Based Recruitment

Value Based Recruitment is a process adopted by the Northern Trust to attract and select employees on the basis that their individual values and behaviours align with those of the Trust.

It focuses on the ‘how’ and ‘why’ people do what they do.

Candidates who are short-listed for interview will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required knowledge, skills, competencies and values to be effective in this new role.

In answering the value based questions you have the opportunity to share examples of when you have demonstrated values relevant to the Northern Trust.

Criminal Offences, Investigations and Charges

Having a criminal record will not necessarily debar you from working with the Trust. This will depend on the nature of the position, together with the circumstances and background of your offences or other information contained on a disclosure certificate. Where it is necessary to obtain an Access NI disclosure the Trust operates in line with the Access NI Code of Practice (www.nidirect.gov.uk/publications/accessni-code-practice).

If you require further information or a copy of the policy on the recruitment of ex-offenders or the policy on the Secure Handling, Use, Storage and Retention of Disclosure Information, please contact the Trust Human Resources Department.

THE NHSCT IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants

may be required to attend for a Health Assessment

can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary, within the range of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant & equivalent to the post. If the successful candidate is an existing HSC employee moving to a higher band, AfC Pay on Promotion will apply.

have the right to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of flexible working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations including Full-time working, Fixed working patterns, Part-time working, Flexi-time, Compressed/elongated hours, Average hours working patterns, Term-time working, Job-share or Homeworking for some or all of the working pattern, depending on the role being undertaken. Successful applicants are encouraged to discuss with their manager what Flexible Working provisions may be available in the role they are taking up, prior to commencing employment, to help them achieve a positive Work/Life Balance.