Mortuary Assistant

Here is an opportunity for you to join our Pathology team as a mortuary assistant.

You will be required to assist and participate in all aspects of work within Mortuary and associated departments.

You will be providing a specialist safe, secure, effective and comprehensive mortuary service for the needs of Mid & South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, Pathologists, Coroner and the Community on the Broomfield Hospital site.

To assist and participate in all aspects of work within Mortuary and associated departments.

You will be required to support the APT and Trainee APT to ensure safe function of the mortuary and provide administrative assistance to maintain the HTA licence,you will be supervised and perform a broad range of duties to support the mortuary team.

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is now one of the largest in the country, with a workforce of approximately 15,000 who serve a population of 1.2 million people.

We work together, and in conjunction with MSE Health and Care Partnership, to deliver excellent local and specialist services, to improve the health and wellbeing of our patients in a compassionate way, and provide a respectful, but vibrant place for staff to develop, innovate and build careers.

From facilities through to consultant specialists we want to be the best, to achieve this we need to recruit not just those who are the finest in their field but also those who have the potential to be. Yes, experience is important but so is outlook - if you are dynamic, forward-thinking and enthusiastic we want you to join us.

We not only offer you a good working environment with flexible working opportunities, but also the opportunity to develop your career with access to appropriate training for your job and the support to succeed and progress.

For full details about this varied and rewarding role, please see attached job description, but some of the responsibilities include
- Liaison with Police, Scenes of Crime Officers, Coroner’s Officers, Consultant Histopathologists, Forensic Pathologists, other Forensic Specialists, Medical staff, Ambulance crews, Funeral Directors, Tissue Donor personnel, Nursing staff, relatives and other hospital staff
- The correct identification of bodies for autopsy under supervision. This will include obtaining the correct authority to carry out the autopsy, should it be a Hospital, Coroners, Forensic, Defence, Paediatric, Private or Limited autopsy. The above types of autopsy could be carried out on any foetus, baby, child or adult. Transfer of deceased to post mortem suite and the removal, storage and logging of clothing and property. Making adjustments to procedures for bariatric deceased persons.
- Prior to the arrival of the Pathologist, make sure all paper work is complete and documentation is ready for pathologist. All information is entered on Eden system correctly and all paper work ready.
- Assisting the APT’s prior to Post Mortem, with documenting scars, logging and safe custody of property. Recording clothing retained and or disposal. Preparing Autopsy Examination blank templates.
- Recording of specimens collected and their destination.
- Ensuring that maintenance of mortuary equipment is carried out in line with current legal requirements and that instruments are maintained. Reporting any defects for repair or replacement.
- Keeping of a maintenance log / Equipment log.
- To enter demographic details of the deceased undergoing Autopsy onto the Mortuary EDEN database.
- To enter details on the EPR Hospital computer system, with regards to the incoming and outgoing of deceased persons notes so as to maintain case note tracking.
- Assist doctors in viewing bodies and checking deceased patients for pacemakers for the completion of cremation papers, making sure to log onto Eden and check on the Trust TOMCAT system for Implant information.