Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, staff pride themselves on not only leading through clinical excellence, but also by creating an environment where all staff are valued and appreciated. To achieve this, the Trust has embarked on an exciting new strategy focused on continuous improvement.

Our vision is to improve the lives of our community and provide excellence in healthcare, through partnership and innovation

Our High Performance Culture will support everyone to be the best version of themselves by being true to our Trust vision, values and behaviors.

We welcome applications from colleagues from our local and neighbouring communities of all backgrounds and identities, who are currently under-represented within our region such as Black, Asian, Minority ethnic and those with disabilities.

As a region we are reviewing the way we work, and exploring how new working practices that support flexible working can create a positive work-life balance. As part of our recruitment process we will explore how our inclusive employment policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, Trust facilities and services can be of mutual benefit.

Job overview

Working Full Time: 37.5 Hours Per Week

The Mortuary department at the Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust are seeking an enthusiastic and committed individual with good communication skills and a confident and sympathetic manner to join the team on a full-time basis as a Trainee Anatomical Pathology Technician (TAPT). 

The successful candidate will actively participate in all areas of the Mortuary providing an efficient, professional, patient focused and caring Mortuary service for both HM Cheshire Coroner and the Countess of Chester Hospital. This will involve roles in admitting deceased patients into the Mortuary, assisting pathologists in carrying out post mortem examinations, and the release of deceased patients to funeral directors. The post holder will be required to liaise with hospital colleagues, multiple outside agencies such as the Police, funeral directors and Coroner's office and also with bereaved relatives. 

A successful candidate filling this trainee APT role will be fully integrated into the provision of a high quality, patient focused service and will receive full training in all Mortuary procedures. Alongside in-house training the trainee APT will be expected to work towards and successfully complete a Level 3 Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology, with transition to a Band 5 position occurring on completion. 

Applicants should have previous allied healthcare experience of mortuary work and/or deceased patient interaction.

Main duties of the job

· To be responsible for the reception, identification and storage in a secure, safe and hygienic environment of all deceased patients received either from the hospital or from the community.

· To accept deceased patients from the community that may be in very poor condition, i.e. decomposed, badly burnt, RTC, suicides and potentially suspicious deaths. This also includes potentially high risk patients with unknown pathogens and infection risk.

· To be responsible for the release of the deceased to authorised funeral directors in accordance with the law and departmental procedures.

· To assist with the procedures required to present a patient in the mortuary viewing suite, including accompanying and interacting with distressed grieving relatives and giving appropriate advice, reassurance and guidance.

· To assist with the procedures required to formally identify a deceased patient, including interaction with Cheshire Police, British Transport Police, Odontologist & Scenes of crime officers (SOCO).

· To provide skilled assistance to the pathologist and APT’s during PM examinations, providing instruments, opening of the deceased and removing the organs required by the pathologist.

· To reconstruct the deceased patient after PM to as high a standard as possible depending on the condition of the deceased.

· To liaise with the Trust’s Bereavement Team, Coroner’s Officers, Coroner’s Liaison Officers, Coroners appointed FD and Cheshire Police for the needs of the service.

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