Job summary
We are seeking a caring, organised and professional Bereavement Services Officer to join our Bereavement Services team at University Hospital Coventry.
The postholder will provide a sensitive, timely and professional service to families and carers following the death of a patient within Trust premises. Acting as a key point of contact, you will support bereaved relatives through the practical processes that follow a death, including death certification, registration, funeral arrangements and post-mortem processes, while working closely with clinical teams, Medical Examiners, the Coroner's Office and external partners.
This role requires excellent communication skills, emotional resilience, attention to detail and the ability to work calmly and compassionately in a sensitive environment, while upholding Trust values and contributing to continuous learning from deaths and service improvement.
The postholder will be required to book patient viewings in the Mortuary and accompany relatives to view the deceased person in the Chapel of Rest when required.
Please be advised that sponsorship is not eligible for this post.
The postholder will have a full UK driving license and access to a car that can be used for business use. Please note that an international driving license is not accepted.
Main duties of the job
- Provide a sensitive, timely and professional service to people recently bereaved following a death within the Trust.
- Act as an intermediary between bereaved families, clinicians and the Medical Examiner Service, helping to resolve concerns relating to a patient's death.
- Support families with practical arrangements following a death, including registration of death, coroner referrals, funeral arrangements and provision of relevant documentation.
- Respond to enquiries from bereaved families, Trust staff and external agencies with empathy, professionalism and discretion, both by telephone and in person.
- Maintain accurate, timely and confidential records relating to deaths in accordance with Trust policy, legislation and national guidance.
- Liaise closely with coroners, registrars, mortuary services, Chaplaincy, funeral directors and internal and external partners.
- Support hospital post mortem processes, including obtaining consent in line with the Human Tissue Act 2004.
- Arrange Trust funerals and manage cases where no next of kin are identified, in line with Trust procedures.
- Provide information, advice and signposting to bereavement support services, recognising the emotional, cultural and faith needs of individuals.
- Contribute to learning from deaths, governance processes and service improvement initiatives.
- Participate in team huddles, meetings and required training, including Trust improvement and quality programmes.
About us
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, rated as good by the Care Quality Commission, is one of the largest teaching Trusts in the UK.
We are extremely proud of our employees across our hospital sites, with high quality patient care at the heart of everything we do.
Boasting some of the most modern facilities in Western Europe, the Trust is renowned for being at the forefront of research and innovation as part of its blossoming reputation as a worldwide leader in healthcare.
We are proud to be recognised as a Pathway to Excellence designated organisation - please click the link for further details about this prestigious award. Pathway To Excellence - University Hospitals Coventry & Warwickshire (uhcw.nhs.uk)
By joining our exciting journey, you will form part of a passionate, talented team and will be able to access a wide range of learning and development opportunities. There has never been a better time to join our team.
The Trust is committed to building an organisation that makes full use of the talents, skills, experience, and different perspectives available in our diverse society. We want everyone to feel they are respected, valued, can achieve their potential and receive the most appropriate and relevant care. We will create an environment where the equality and human rights principles of fairness, respect, equality, dignity and autonomy are promoted and are part of the organisation's core values.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patients death. Work with the Medical Examiner Service to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the organisation.
- To support families who need to register a death. This will include the provision of relevant documentation; overseeing arrangements for death certificates to be completed by the appropriate doctor and Medical Examiner Service and then sent to the Coventry Register Office so that an appointment can be made for the bereaved to register their loved ones death.
- To establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the Medical Examiner Service.
- To work with Medical Examiners Service to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the organisation.
- Answer the telephone in a polite and courteous manner, taking messages (some of which will be sensitive in nature) and providing general information and advice to bereaved families, some of whom may be distressed. Deal with enquiries in a prompt, efficient and caring manner, from staff, the public and external organisations raised by telephone, or in person.
- To take part in the daily huddle with the Medical Examiner Service to discuss daily deaths and outstanding paperwork, escalating cases that require additional support.
- To assist with the arrangement of appointments with the Registrar of Births and Deaths on behalf of the bereaved.
- Act on enquiries and complaints by the bereaved directing them to the appropriate persons needed to answer their enquiries. Provide information regarding PALS and / or the Trusts complaints procedure if appropriate.
- To take part in regular meetings with Mortuary staff regarding long stayer meetings.
- To contribute to improving governance and learning from deaths supporting processes established to review and learn from cases highlighted by the Medical Examiner.
- To work closely with the local Coroners officers in providing information and documentation to next of kin on cases referred to the Coroner.
- To provide advice and information on registration of death, in line with the Coroners Office, the Registrar Generals regulations and Trust policies.
- To provide literature in appropriate formats to support staff and the bereaved.
- To maintain accurate and accessible records of each death in Trust in order to meet national requirements and to support improvements to mortality data and governance.
- To ensure that GPs and any outside agency involved with the patients care is informed of the death as soon as possible, including the production of standard letters.
- To complete any supplementary documentation required after the death of a patient.
- To arrange Hospital Contract burial/cremations according to Trust policies and procedures.
- To offer advice and information for funeral arrangements as appropriate.
- For deaths where no relatives have been identified, to trace relatives and make funeral arrangements according to laid down procedures.
- In collaboration with the Chaplaincy Service, to be responsible for arranging funerals for pregnancy loss, still births and neo-natal death, liaising with parents in a sensitive and appropriate manner.
- To liaise with all relevant departments, in particular Pathology Secretaries in connection with all paperwork relating to Hospital Post-Mortems.
- To obtain consent for Adult Hospital Post-Mortems in accordance with the Human Tissue Act 2004.
- To be aware of the possible needs of newly bereaved people, so that support in terms of counselling or other help may be made available, either inside the hospital or by signposting to other organisations.
- To develop and maintain a sound knowledge base of the religious needs of people of different faiths, cultures and traditions, and make provision to meet those needs appropriately.
- To book patient viewings in line with the Standard Operating Procedure and accompany relatives to view the deceased person in the Chapel of Rest when required.
- To liaise with the ward, mortuary staff and the Trusts General Office with regards to the property of deceased patients from the ward. Ensure that documentation regarding any property is up-to-date and items are correctly accounted for.
- To maintain close working links with the Mortuary, Chaplaincy, Social Services staff, Clinicians, Funeral directors and local religious advisers as appropriate.
- Build and maintain positive relationships with clinical and non-clinical staff in the clinical services and corporate department.
- Ensure systems are in place to communicate key issues identified by Bereavement Services to related functions within the Trust, contributing to effective governance.
- To highlight any areas for improvement in the service provided and bring these to the attention of the line manager.
For further details of the role please see the attached job description.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- To act as an intermediary between the bereaved and clinicians to establish and resolve any concerns relating to a patients death. Work with the Medical Examiner Service to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the organisation.
- To support families who need to register a death. This will include the provision of relevant documentation; overseeing arrangements for death certificates to be completed by the appropriate doctor and Medical Examiner Service and then sent to the Coventry Register Office so that an appointment can be made for the bereaved to register their loved ones death.
- To establish the circumstances of individual patient deaths by performing a preliminary review of medical records to identify clinical and circumstantial information, sourcing additional details where required, for scrutiny by the Medical Examiner Service.
- To work with Medical Examiners Service to aid them in their responsibility for overseeing the death certification process for all deceased patients in the organisation.
- Answer the telephone in a polite and courteous manner, taking messages (some of which will be sensitive in nature) and providing general information and advice to bereaved families, some of whom may be distressed. Deal with enquiries in a prompt, efficient and caring manner, from staff, the public and external organisations raised by telephone, or in person.
- To take part in the daily huddle with the Medical Examiner Service to discuss daily deaths and outstanding paperwork, escalating cases that require additional support.
- To assist with the arrangement of appointments with the Registrar of Births and Deaths on behalf of the bereaved.
- Act on enquiries and complaints by the bereaved directing them to the appropriate persons needed to answer their enquiries. Provide information regarding PALS and / or the Trusts complaints procedure if appropriate.
- To take part in regular meetings with Mortuary staff regarding long stayer meetings.
- To contribute to improving governance and learning from deaths supporting processes established to review and learn from cases highlighted by the Medical Examiner.
- To work closely with the local Coroners officers in providing information and documentation to next of kin on cases referred to the Coroner.
- To provide advice and information on registration of death, in line with the Coroners Office, the Registrar Generals regulations and Trust policies.
- To provide literature in appropriate formats to support staff and the bereaved.
- To maintain accurate and accessible records of each death in Trust in order to meet national requirements and to support improvements to mortality data and governance.
- To ensure that GPs and any outside agency involved with the patients care is informed of the death as soon as possible, including the production of standard letters.
- To complete any supplementary documentation required after the death of a patient.
- To arrange Hospital Contract burial/cremations according to Trust policies and procedures.
- To offer advice and information for funeral arrangements as appropriate.
- For deaths where no relatives have been identified, to trace relatives and make funeral arrangements according to laid down procedures.
- In collaboration with the Chaplaincy Service, to be responsible for arranging funerals for pregnancy loss, still births and neo-natal death, liaising with parents in a sensitive and appropriate manner.
- To liaise with all relevant departments, in particular Pathology Secretaries in connection with all paperwork relating to Hospital Post-Mortems.
- To obtain consent for Adult Hospital Post-Mortems in accordance with the Human Tissue Act 2004.
- To be aware of the possible needs of newly bereaved people, so that support in terms of counselling or other help may be made available, either inside the hospital or by signposting to other organisations.
- To develop and maintain a sound knowledge base of the religious needs of people of different faiths, cultures and traditions, and make provision to meet those needs appropriately.
- To book patient viewings in line with the Standard Operating Procedure and accompany relatives to view the deceased person in the Chapel of Rest when required.
- To liaise with the ward, mortuary staff and the Trusts General Office with regards to the property of deceased patients from the ward. Ensure that documentation regarding any property is up-to-date and items are correctly accounted for.
- To maintain close working links with the Mortuary, Chaplaincy, Social Services staff, Clinicians, Funeral directors and local religious advisers as appropriate.
- Build and maintain positive relationships with clinical and non-clinical staff in the clinical services and corporate department.
- Ensure systems are in place to communicate key issues identified by Bereavement Services to related functions within the Trust, contributing to effective governance.
- To highlight any areas for improvement in the service provided and bring these to the attention of the line manager.
For further details of the role please see the attached job description.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
Experience
Essential
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
Skills
Essential
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
Desirable
Experience
Essential
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
Desirable
Skills
Essential
Commitment to Trust Values and Behaviours
Essential
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.
Employer details
Employer name
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust
Address
University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire
Clifford Bridge Road
Coventry
CV2 2DX
Employer's website
https://www.jobsatuhcw.co.uk (Opens in a new tab)
