Trainee Anatomical Pathology Technologist

Job Summary To assist with the day to day running of the department. To take on the responsibilities given by the Mortuary Manager or senior staff members. To maintain a high standard of service within the mortuary. To study to attain the status of APT by relevant qualifications.

**To communicate effectively with**: Anatomical Pathology Technologists (APTs) liaise with a range of people including medical staff (e.g. Pathologists, GPs and Clinicians), nursing staff and police. APTs also liaise with Funeral Directors, Spiritual Care Personnel and the bereaved. Internal Relationships Mortuary Staff Patient Services Infection Control Trust Medical Staff Senior Managers Other Trust departments Pathology Staff External Relationships Police Home Office Pathologists Kent Ambulance Coroner GPs Undertakers Patients & Clients Carers Families Visitors Communities and Community Representatives Workers from other agencies Specific Responsibilities Clinical responsibilities: The key responsibilities of a Trainee Anatomical Pathology Technologist (TAPT) are administration and record keeping.

As well as records of the deceased and property within their care, the Trainee is responsible, after suitable training, for recording samples, specimens and organs and their appropriate disposal. TAPTs must ensure that the bereaved are dealt with sympathetically and respectfully. They are involved in arranging and conducting viewings, offering advice and gaining consent from the relatives for post mortem examinations. TAPTs need to be aware of the diversity of religious and cultural issues surrounding death and act appropriately.

After suitable training and under the supervision of the senior APTs other responsibilities for a TAPT include: providing advice regarding documentation and medico legal issues maintaining the mortuary and post mortem room ensuring equipment and instruments are kept clean, sterile and ready for use taking samples for clinical examination, transplant or research advising junior medical staff on post mortem procedures and examinations ensuring legal documentation is dealt with correctly prepare the deceased for viewings by relatives Under supervision from the Pathologist and Senior APT to undertake training to enable the post holder to perform Coroner post mortems Under supervision from the APTs remove pace makers and other devices prior to collection by funeral directors Dartford and Gravesham NHS Trust do not undertake hospital post mortems; however Coronial post mortems are performed on the Darent Valley Site and the TAPT will provide assistance to a pathologist in conducting these, once competencies have been signed off and the Trainee deemed fit for practice. The extent of involvement and responsibility of the TAPT during the post mortem examination will increase as the post holder gains skills and knowledge. After extensive training and under the supervision of the Senior APTs the trainee will be responsible for the reconstruction of the deceased after examination and this is an important skill. Managerial responsibilities: Assist police and coroners offices where required Assist with monitoring stock levels of supplies.

Assist with liaising with Patient Services to ensure that the correct documents are received in the mortuary. To ensure that specimens and request forms are kept per Trust or Department of Health guidelines To ensure specimens are transported to the Pathology Laboratories as per Trust guidelines Maintaining the mortuary in a clean and tidy condition in accordance with code of practice. Ensuring that the correct Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is followed when releasing a deceased to the Funeral Directors. To ensure the correct Standard Operating Procedure is followed when preparing the deceased for viewing To comply with the terms and condition of the Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information (FOI) Under supervision prepare bodies for post mortem examination General administrative support to the other Trust Departments To provide data for Development and Audit when required.

To continually challenge and review working practices Professional responsibilities: Maintain appropriate professional relationships to ensure the relevance and effectiveness of the Service within Pathology and across the Trust. Education and development responsibilities: A general level of education to include English, spoken and written. Whilst training to be a qualified APT the following skills are to be developed with an expected understanding in each: To work in anatomical pathology, you will need effective verbal and written communication skills and be confident with technology and systems/processes. APTs have to be able to work as part of a team as well as on their own initiative.

An APT has to have good knowledge of anatomy and be able to identify a wide range of commonly found pathology. Working in the mortuary environment you require a good understanding of Health & Safety including infection co