Job summary
The post holder is required to sensitively manage and coordinate all processes and procedures on a day-to-day basis relating to bereavement.
The post holder is responsible for liaising with appropriate staff within the Trust and other relevant external agencies to ensure the necessary official documentation is completed and processed in a timely manner in line with legal requirements.
The role will involve liaising over the phone and face to faceto explain sensitively to families the bereavement process, which can be emotionally challenging .
The role includes the provision of general administrative tasks as required by the Head and Deputy Head of Patient Experience and Inclusion.
Main duties of the job
1. To work as part of a team to provide specialist advice on the bereavement systems daily, to ensure that processes are followed in a timely manner.2. The post holder will be responsible for notifying and advising all levels of medical staff to ensure prompt and accurate completion of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and/or the reporting of a patient's death.3. To act as a point of contact for bereaved relatives, issuing documentation, personal effects and information in a clear, calm and compassionate manner, ensuring that relatives understand the process for the registration of the death.4. Coordinate the process and correct documentation for non-viable foetuses, neonates and stillbirths, including close liaison with the Bereavement Midwife, families and external agencies, in accordance with Trust Procedure.5. To provide information and advice to the bereaved daily and respond to particular questions and concerns.
About us
Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a caring and compassionate organisation that is both ambitious and innovative. We are committed to delivering the best outcomes for our patients and providing a positive experience of our staff. We aspire to be outstanding for our patients, our communities and our staff and are committed to being a great place to receive healthcare, work and learn.
Straddling the neighbouring boroughs of Warrington and Halton we are part of the Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care system. Our hospitals are ideally situated to meet the growing healthcare needs of the 330,000 population of these boroughs.
Warrington Hospital is home to our emergency, critical care and maternity services, Halton Hospital is focused on elective procedures and the Runcorn Urgent Treatment Centre, although many services are offered at both sites and in community hubs.
A CQC-rated 'good' organisation with 'outstanding' features, we are working towards university hospital status, having achieved teaching hospital status in 2019.
Our workforce of nearly 5,000 across both sites comprises more than 50 nationalities. We strive to be an equal, diverse and inclusive employer, which is recognised as a pioneer in its equality, diversity and inclusion work. The Trust is proud to have achieved numerous external accreditations and is working towards achieving the Anti-Racist Organisation Framework, recognising the importance of anti-racism in all that we do.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. To work as part of a team to provide specialist advice on the bereavement systems daily, to ensure that processes are followed in a timely manner.2. The post holder will be responsible for notifying and advising all levels of medical staff to ensure prompt and accurate completion of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and/or the reporting of a patients death.3. To act as a point of contact for bereaved relatives, issuing documentation, personal effects and information in a clear, calm and compassionate manner, ensuring that relatives understand the process for the registration of the death.4. Coordinate the process and correct documentation for non-viable foetuses, neonates and stillbirths, including close liaison with the Bereavement Midwife, families and external agencies, in accordance with Trust Procedure.5. To provide information and advice to the bereaved daily and respond to particular questions and concerns.
Communication1. Telephone and counter enquiries relating to bereavement administration and lost property.2. To liaise with the Registrar and Coroners Office, ensuring that all communications are effective, efficient and timely.3. To communicate with funeral directors regarding the arrangement of hospital funerals for adults and neonates, ensuring all paperwork is accurately completed.4. On a daily basis communicate complex and sensitive information to the bereaved relating to the bereavement process, using judgement and discretion in an appropriate and professional manner.5. Ensure privacy and confidentiality in relation to patient information.6. Ensure General Practitioners are informed of relevant patients deaths.7. Attend any meetings as requested and contribute to changes in practice with ideas and solutions to problems.8. Ability to propose changes to work practices within the department in contribution to problem solving and process change.9. On a daily basis make and receive sensitive telephone calls in a courteous and professional manner.
Organisations1. Close daily liaison with the mortuary staff with regard to the bereavement processes.2. The issue of funeral directors authority forms (release of the deceased to the funeral director) to the bereaved as necessary.3. The support of medical staff in all aspects of the bereavement processes, including completion of Medical Certificates of Cause of Death and reporting of deaths to the Coroners office.4. The organisation of Hospital funerals for babies, as required and the disposal of ashes in liaison with the Bereavement Midwife.5. The organisation of adult hospital funerals, as required, including liaison with Funeral Directors and Warrington Crematorium office and Hospital Chaplain if necessary.6. Contribute to the development and implementation of Bereavement Office standard operating procedures and policies as required.7. Scrutiny of Lorenzo clinical notes to identify the correct medical specialties, in order that the appropriate medical team is contacted.
Knowledge, Training and Experience1. Required to work under own initiative and as part of a small team.2. Specialist knowledge of all bereavement processes within the Trust, using judgement and problem-solving skills.3. To ensure that the correct administrative process is followed in respect of the arrangements for Hospital Postmortems as required, in accordance with the Human Tissue Act 2004.4. To act as an expert resource for medical/nursing staff with regard to the bereavement processes.5. To keep up to date with Home Office Legislation (Registrar General and Coroners Office) in relation to the bereavement process.6. To show awareness and understanding of religious and cultural beliefs following a death.7. To work alongside and to provide advice to new starters or less experienced employees, to undertake workplace training.
Information Resources1. Manage documentation for non-viable foetuses, neonates and stillbirths, in close liaison with the Bereavement Midwife, in accordance with Trust Procedure.2. Maintain accurate records of the bereavement process on a daily basis.3. Use of NHS Mail and the Trusts systems.4. Ensure confidentiality and security of case notes if and when used within the office.5. Report incidents to the Bereavement Office Manager for reporting on Datix system as required.6. Provide general information to the bereavement, i.e., contact details/booklets.7. Ensure accurate documentation is maintained in relation to all aspects of the bereavement process.8. To provide statistical information on a monthly basis to the Patient Safety Co-ordinator and as and when required to the Infection Control Team.
Financial1. Manage deceased patients property, valuables and lost property in accordance with Standing Financial Instructions. Where there is a discrepancy in articles, tracing their whereabouts and retrieval.2. Receive cremation cheques for the doctors from Funeral Directors via the Mortuary and obtain a signed receipt on collection.3. Liaise with Clinical Coders for the collection of any case notes in the Bereavement Office, as they may be required for prompt coding to ensure that the Trust is paid accordingly.Mental/Emotional Effort1. Ability to explain sensitively to families if problems have occurred with regard to the bereavement process, which can be emotionally challenging and sometimes confrontational.2. Liaison with the mortuary staff and occasionally accompany the bereaved to the Mortuary chapel of rest, to enable viewing of the deceased.3. High level of concentration required on a daily basis, owing to complexities of different situations which occur at the same time.4. Constant interruptions, i.e., telephone calls, reception enquiries, etc., on a daily basis.
Decision Making1. Work with minimum supervision, manage own workload whilst working as a Team and use own initiative according to service needs. (The Bereavement Office Manager is available for advice and guidance as required).2. There is a requirement to use own initiative re contacting all levels of medical staff to organise the timely completion of the necessary paperwork required when a death occurs.3. Identify and act upon potential problems relating to the bereavement process in liaison with the Bereavement Office Manager.
This job description outlines the current main responsibilities of the post. However, the duties of the post may change and develop over time and this job description may, therefore, be amended in consultation with the post holder.
Job description
Job responsibilities
1. To work as part of a team to provide specialist advice on the bereavement systems daily, to ensure that processes are followed in a timely manner.2. The post holder will be responsible for notifying and advising all levels of medical staff to ensure prompt and accurate completion of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and/or the reporting of a patients death.3. To act as a point of contact for bereaved relatives, issuing documentation, personal effects and information in a clear, calm and compassionate manner, ensuring that relatives understand the process for the registration of the death.4. Coordinate the process and correct documentation for non-viable foetuses, neonates and stillbirths, including close liaison with the Bereavement Midwife, families and external agencies, in accordance with Trust Procedure.5. To provide information and advice to the bereaved daily and respond to particular questions and concerns.
Communication1. Telephone and counter enquiries relating to bereavement administration and lost property.2. To liaise with the Registrar and Coroners Office, ensuring that all communications are effective, efficient and timely.3. To communicate with funeral directors regarding the arrangement of hospital funerals for adults and neonates, ensuring all paperwork is accurately completed.4. On a daily basis communicate complex and sensitive information to the bereaved relating to the bereavement process, using judgement and discretion in an appropriate and professional manner.5. Ensure privacy and confidentiality in relation to patient information.6. Ensure General Practitioners are informed of relevant patients deaths.7. Attend any meetings as requested and contribute to changes in practice with ideas and solutions to problems.8. Ability to propose changes to work practices within the department in contribution to problem solving and process change.9. On a daily basis make and receive sensitive telephone calls in a courteous and professional manner.
Organisations1. Close daily liaison with the mortuary staff with regard to the bereavement processes.2. The issue of funeral directors authority forms (release of the deceased to the funeral director) to the bereaved as necessary.3. The support of medical staff in all aspects of the bereavement processes, including completion of Medical Certificates of Cause of Death and reporting of deaths to the Coroners office.4. The organisation of Hospital funerals for babies, as required and the disposal of ashes in liaison with the Bereavement Midwife.5. The organisation of adult hospital funerals, as required, including liaison with Funeral Directors and Warrington Crematorium office and Hospital Chaplain if necessary.6. Contribute to the development and implementation of Bereavement Office standard operating procedures and policies as required.7. Scrutiny of Lorenzo clinical notes to identify the correct medical specialties, in order that the appropriate medical team is contacted.
Knowledge, Training and Experience1. Required to work under own initiative and as part of a small team.2. Specialist knowledge of all bereavement processes within the Trust, using judgement and problem-solving skills.3. To ensure that the correct administrative process is followed in respect of the arrangements for Hospital Postmortems as required, in accordance with the Human Tissue Act 2004.4. To act as an expert resource for medical/nursing staff with regard to the bereavement processes.5. To keep up to date with Home Office Legislation (Registrar General and Coroners Office) in relation to the bereavement process.6. To show awareness and understanding of religious and cultural beliefs following a death.7. To work alongside and to provide advice to new starters or less experienced employees, to undertake workplace training.
Information Resources1. Manage documentation for non-viable foetuses, neonates and stillbirths, in close liaison with the Bereavement Midwife, in accordance with Trust Procedure.2. Maintain accurate records of the bereavement process on a daily basis.3. Use of NHS Mail and the Trusts systems.4. Ensure confidentiality and security of case notes if and when used within the office.5. Report incidents to the Bereavement Office Manager for reporting on Datix system as required.6. Provide general information to the bereavement, i.e., contact details/booklets.7. Ensure accurate documentation is maintained in relation to all aspects of the bereavement process.8. To provide statistical information on a monthly basis to the Patient Safety Co-ordinator and as and when required to the Infection Control Team.
Financial1. Manage deceased patients property, valuables and lost property in accordance with Standing Financial Instructions. Where there is a discrepancy in articles, tracing their whereabouts and retrieval.2. Receive cremation cheques for the doctors from Funeral Directors via the Mortuary and obtain a signed receipt on collection.3. Liaise with Clinical Coders for the collection of any case notes in the Bereavement Office, as they may be required for prompt coding to ensure that the Trust is paid accordingly.Mental/Emotional Effort1. Ability to explain sensitively to families if problems have occurred with regard to the bereavement process, which can be emotionally challenging and sometimes confrontational.2. Liaison with the mortuary staff and occasionally accompany the bereaved to the Mortuary chapel of rest, to enable viewing of the deceased.3. High level of concentration required on a daily basis, owing to complexities of different situations which occur at the same time.4. Constant interruptions, i.e., telephone calls, reception enquiries, etc., on a daily basis.
Decision Making1. Work with minimum supervision, manage own workload whilst working as a Team and use own initiative according to service needs. (The Bereavement Office Manager is available for advice and guidance as required).2. There is a requirement to use own initiative re contacting all levels of medical staff to organise the timely completion of the necessary paperwork required when a death occurs.3. Identify and act upon potential problems relating to the bereavement process in liaison with the Bereavement Office Manager.
This job description outlines the current main responsibilities of the post. However, the duties of the post may change and develop over time and this job description may, therefore, be amended in consultation with the post holder.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NQV or equivalent in Business Administration or work experience
Desirable
- NVQ 3 or equivalent in Business Administration
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working in a busy office environment
- Previous experience of working with the public, or equivalent experience working in a customer service facing role
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical terminology
- Previous experience of working with bereaved families
Physical Skills
Essential
- Strong IT skills in the use of Microsoft office package
Emotional Effort
Essential
- Confident to deal with sensitive and emotive information
Desirable
- Previous experience of working with bereaved families
Emotional Effort
Essential
- Ability to act in a calm confident manner to distressed, angry or vulnerable people
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NQV or equivalent in Business Administration or work experience
Desirable
- NVQ 3 or equivalent in Business Administration
Experience
Essential
- Previous experience of working in a busy office environment
- Previous experience of working with the public, or equivalent experience working in a customer service facing role
Desirable
- Knowledge of medical terminology
- Previous experience of working with bereaved families
Physical Skills
Essential
- Strong IT skills in the use of Microsoft office package
Emotional Effort
Essential
- Confident to deal with sensitive and emotive information
Desirable
- Previous experience of working with bereaved families
Emotional Effort
Essential
- Ability to act in a calm confident manner to distressed, angry or vulnerable people
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
Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHSFT
Address
Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Lovely Lane
Warrington
WA5 1QG
Employer's website
https://whh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)
