Divisional Governance

Job overview

The Mortuary and Bereavement Team at Ipswich Hospital are looking for a Medical Examiner’s & Bereavement Officer, 15 hours per week (one day worked to be Friday, other day negotiable).

We are a busy but small department responsible for ensuring families are supported through the process of death certification and registration including all elements of the Medical Examiner process. 

Whilst this is predominantly an administrative role, the role will involve at times the arrangement and viewings for families, often in difficult circumstances and provide support to the bereaved during and after viewings as required. This will also involve the checking of identification and condition of the deceased in line with department procedures to ensure the correct patient has been prepared, as such you will need to be comfortable with this. There is also a requirement to be familiar with common medical terminology.

A band 4 developmental role would be considered if you do not currently fulfil the specification for a band 5 post. This would be assessed as part of the interview process. You will be supported with face-to-face learning and competencies to then be signed off as competent using the National Framework to progress to the band 5. 

The work is varied and, at times, challenging but it is a stimulating and interesting environment for the right person. Whilst predominantly based at Ipswich Hospital there is an opportunity for some remote working within the scope of this post.

Main duties of the job

The primary functions of the role are the collation of documents required for death registration, supporting the Medical Examiner process, supporting families through the death registration process and liaison with HM Coroner’s Office and funeral directors.

The work requires a calm and methodical approach. Clear and tactful communication with recently bereaved people is an essential element of the role. Attention to detail and accuracy is paramount.

Working for our organisation

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 -

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

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

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Educated to A-Level or equivalent standard of education and/or evidence of study/equivalent practical experience at an advanced level. Completion of the core modules of the ELearning for Medical Examiner’s or willingness to complete this within 3 months of appointment Completion of Face to face training for Medical Examiner’s or willingness to complete this within 12 months of appointment.

Experience

Essential criteria

Experience of working with bereaved families or within a customer focussed setting. Experience of dealing with highly contentious and emotional situations. Ability to communicate complex and potentially distressing information to the bereaved in a clear and tactful manner. Ability to communicate clearly with people with varied levels of understanding adapting the use of technical language to meet the needs of each individual. Ability to work across professional boundaries with medical staff in different specialties.

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