Job summary
Bereavement Services are looking to appoint a Bereavement Support Officer to work in the Bereavement Office to cover both the office at Central site and the Northern site on a Rota basis and possible weekends.
The successful applicant will essentially be a people person - caring, methodical, calm under pressure, IT literate, team player. Good interpersonal and telephone skills are essential as the job involves daily contact with bereaved families, and the ability to work as part of a team is essential. The office is very busy, mentally taxing, and sometimes emotionally demanding.
The successful candidate will need to work very closely with the Medical Examiner Officer's, Coroner's office and Registrar's offices to ensure that statutory and mandatory paperwork is completed correctly, ensuring that bereaved families are given a service of compassionate excellence.The duties include using a computerised system to the accurate completion of statutory records.
Good literacy, numeracy and keyboarding skills are essential. Applicants need to be well organized, logical, and able to cope with and understand people emotions at one of the most stressful times in a person's life.
Main duties of the job
Undertake administration functions for the department, such as data input, photocopying, filing, letter writing, etc.
Act as first point of contact for both internal and external stakeholders regarding deceased patients.
Communicate with distressed or potentially aggressive relatives and family members in a professional, courteous, and sensitive manner, using tact, empathy and diplomacy, seeking to overcome any barriers to understanding where relevant to achieve a satisfactory outcome.
Carry out meetings by telephone or in person with the recently bereaved, providing information booklets, advice, support, and guidance about death registration, making funeral arrangements, claiming benefits and any other queries or problems which may arise.
To ensure that all deceased patients' property is properly documented and stored appropriately in a timely fashion, in accordance with departmental guidelines and processes.
Ability to respond sensitively and empathically to queries and complaints from members of the public, funeral directors, bereaved families, escalating to the manager when required.
To ensure that office telephones are answered promptly, and enquiries dealt with in a polite and courteous manner.
About us
You will be working for an organisation which values and respects all of its staff and the community it serves. The Trust is a leader in the NHS and research sectors and provides excellent benefits for its staff. This includes commitments to professional development but also many policies to support employees in balancing their personal and professional lives.
The Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training, and research.
The care and support that people receive at the time of their bereavement can affect the whole bereavement process. The Trust has put in place systems, policies and practices to ensure they provide the best possible bereavement service for those whose loved ones have died in hospital.
Our Bereavement Support Officers are integral to the delivery of an efficient and effective administration service within the department. They are responsible for co-ordinating all of the paperwork that needs to be completed after death, such as the medical certificate of cause of death and any necessary cremation forms. They will talk with medical and nursing staff, funeral directors, the coroner's office and the register office and various other outside agencies and the deceased patients relatives.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please view the attached Job Description and Person Specification documents for full details regarding this post.
When completing your application please ensure that you clearly demonstrate how you meet the role criteria.
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- 5 or more GCSEs or equivalent, to include English Language & Mathematics (C/4 grade or above)
- NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration / Customer Service / IT or be able to demonstrate the equivalent experience
Desirable
- IT qualification e.g. European Computer Driving Licence, Microsoft Office or equivalent
- Evidence of continued professional development
Experience
Essential
- Experience working in a busy office environment and with an understanding of administrative and clerical procedures
- Experience of direct work with the general public, especially in highly distressing and emotional circumstances.
- Demonstrable experience in a similar role.
- A demonstrable understanding of the importance of data quality and the impact of poor quality on operational systems
- Experience of using a Patient Administration Systems and Electronic Patient Record systems
- Experience of dealing with and validating data
- Experience of delivering work in accordance with standard operating procedures.
Desirable
- Relevant experience within the NHS
- Working knowledge of hospital procedures and policies relating to death and bereavement.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of bereavement procedures for different. cultures and religions
- Experience of handling emotionally challenging situations such as liaising with bereaved families
- Experience of working within a multiprofessional environment and liaising with internal and external stakeholders
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Ability to manage personal/professional boundaries.
- Ability to work as part of a team and independently with minimal supervision
- Excellent computer skills with demonstrable knowledge and skills using Microsoft Office packages including Outlook, Excel and Word.
- Demonstrable self-awareness, an understanding of impact on others and an ability to manage self and maintain professional conduct in sometimes difficult and challenging situations
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to use tact, empathy and re-assurance skills to deliver difficult/sensitive news to individuals
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to develop relationships and rapport with the general public and colleagues of different disciplines, backgrounds and levels of seniority
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to plan and prioritise workload to ensure strict / conflicting deadlines are met
- Understanding of data protection issues and the ability to maintain confidentiality at all times
Desirable
- Awareness of Health & Safety in the workplace
- Good understanding of medical records procedures and medical terminology
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Committed to providing the highest levels of patient / client care
- Flexible and adaptable approach with an enthusiastic and proactive "Can Do" attitude
- Methodical and accurate with attention to detail
- On-going commitment to personal development and improvement
- Ability and willingness to perform the duties of the role at any Trust site or at any other site where the Trust is responsible for delivering activity aligned to this post.
- Willingness to undertake and complete further training as identified and appropriate
Person Specification
Education and Qualifications
Essential
- 5 or more GCSEs or equivalent, to include English Language & Mathematics (C/4 grade or above)
- NVQ Level 3 in Business Administration / Customer Service / IT or be able to demonstrate the equivalent experience
Desirable
- IT qualification e.g. European Computer Driving Licence, Microsoft Office or equivalent
- Evidence of continued professional development
Experience
Essential
- Experience working in a busy office environment and with an understanding of administrative and clerical procedures
- Experience of direct work with the general public, especially in highly distressing and emotional circumstances.
- Demonstrable experience in a similar role.
- A demonstrable understanding of the importance of data quality and the impact of poor quality on operational systems
- Experience of using a Patient Administration Systems and Electronic Patient Record systems
- Experience of dealing with and validating data
- Experience of delivering work in accordance with standard operating procedures.
Desirable
- Relevant experience within the NHS
- Working knowledge of hospital procedures and policies relating to death and bereavement.
- Sound knowledge and understanding of bereavement procedures for different. cultures and religions
- Experience of handling emotionally challenging situations such as liaising with bereaved families
- Experience of working within a multiprofessional environment and liaising with internal and external stakeholders
Skills and Knowledge
Essential
- Ability to manage personal/professional boundaries.
- Ability to work as part of a team and independently with minimal supervision
- Excellent computer skills with demonstrable knowledge and skills using Microsoft Office packages including Outlook, Excel and Word.
- Demonstrable self-awareness, an understanding of impact on others and an ability to manage self and maintain professional conduct in sometimes difficult and challenging situations
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to use tact, empathy and re-assurance skills to deliver difficult/sensitive news to individuals
- Good interpersonal skills and the ability to develop relationships and rapport with the general public and colleagues of different disciplines, backgrounds and levels of seniority
- Strong organisational skills with the ability to plan and prioritise workload to ensure strict / conflicting deadlines are met
- Understanding of data protection issues and the ability to maintain confidentiality at all times
Desirable
- Awareness of Health & Safety in the workplace
- Good understanding of medical records procedures and medical terminology
Personal Qualities
Essential
- Committed to providing the highest levels of patient / client care
- Flexible and adaptable approach with an enthusiastic and proactive "Can Do" attitude
- Methodical and accurate with attention to detail
- On-going commitment to personal development and improvement
- Ability and willingness to perform the duties of the role at any Trust site or at any other site where the Trust is responsible for delivering activity aligned to this post.
- Willingness to undertake and complete further training as identified and appropriate
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Additional information
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
