Job summary
Applications are invited for the post of Anatomical Pathology Technologist for the Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust Mortuary Service. We are looking for a highly-motivated APT to join our enthusiastic team in maintaining and developing service quality. Applicants must have excellent communication skills, be compassionate, display meticulous attention to detail and have a will to develop a detailed knowledge of Mortuary function and end-of-life care and a good understanding of mortuary services.
This is a Part time, 12 months fixed term contract, where flexible working can be discussed as to how those hours are fulfilled.
Our service is comprised of an HTA-licensed mortuary site providing hospital and Coronial services for South Devon. We look after approximately 2000 deceased patients and carry out around 550 Coronial Post Mortems annually.
Applicants should be aware of HTA licensing requirements. The successful candidate will have direct experience and a detailed understanding of working with community partners, The Coroner's Office and Bereavement services, with an innate empathic approach towards the bereaved and a supportive attitude to colleagues in an emotionally and physically demanding workplace.
The role will include participating in the 24/7 on-call service.
We strongly encourage potential applicants to evaluate the practical elements of being available to respond to calls and be on site out-of-hours 1 week in 4 before applying
Main duties of the job
- To provide a specialist safe, secure, and effective mortuary and post mortem service for the needs of Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Pathologists, Coroner and the community.
- You will be required to hold the Level 3 Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology or equivalent e.g. RSPH Certificate in Anatomical Pathology Technology; work unsupervised and perform a broad range of duties.
- You will provide an expert level of theoretical and practical knowledge and experience.
- You will provide practical assistance to the Pathologist whilst in attendance and ensure that safe practices and standard operating procedures are adhered to in every aspect of the departments' work.
- They will ensure the efficient day to day running of the department, directing junior staff; being responsible for essential user maintenance and excellent standards of cleanliness and sterilisation of mortuary equipment as required.
- You will ensure that appropriate techniques are applied by staff when preparing for and assisting in post mortem examinations and identify potential hazards to health and take measures to minimise or eliminate risks in the Mortuary
- You will demonstrate and be responsible for ensuring that all Mortuary staff apply knowledge of the laws and codes of practice relating to the Mortuary andall aspects of its function including those in relation to the deceased and ensure dignity is maintained at all times.
About us
We are a small close knit team within the Mortuary that support each other in what can, at times, be an incredibly challenging role. We pride ourselves on how we care for peoples loved ones and believe that care does not stop when a patient dies.
We are always looking to develop and improve the service that we provide the Hospital and the Community, and welcome all ideas in helping us to do so. We are currently undertaking a project to improve our tissue retrieval rates within the Trust, so would welcome applications from individuals who also feel strongly about this.
Why work with us
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Communication and working relationshi
- Maintain patient and relative privacy, dignity and respect at all times
- Ensure positive relative experience in all aspects of after life care
- Engage and participate as required, in external visits to the Mortuary, ensuring compliance with national quality frameworks (e.g. HTA, CQC)
- Analytical and judgement
- Ensure that all available options for Tissue Donation are taken, including arranging 3rd party operatives to come in and facilitate retrieval if required.
- Responsible and accountable for the release of the deceased to authorised Funeral Directors in accordance with the law and local safety procedures, ensuring the correct identification of the deceased.
- To report incidents in line with Trust policies
- To make judgements regarding which techniques to use with the removal of organs, based on different Anatomy and Pathology which may be present.
- Planning and organisatio
- Responsibility for ensuring that Funeral Directors are given the correct certificates required for the disposal and cremation of the body
- Responsible for the organisation of foetuses for monthly committals at crematorium and arrange collection by contract Funeral Directors.
- Responsible for organising and participating in an out of hours on call rota
- Responsibility for patient and client car
- Responsible and accountable for recording and supervising lawful disposal of human tissue, products of conception and police forensic exhibits
- Have knowledge of specialist skills in Anatomical Pathology Technology, including knowledge of different evisceration and reconstruction techniques such as removal of spinal cord and some experience reconstructing trauma cases.
- Policy and service responsibilit
- Ensure continued professional development in-keeping with national practice and guidance
- Ensure that documentation surrounding consents for Post mortem and Tissue Donation are fully completed and in accordance with the law.
- Responsible for maintaining Health and Safety, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and Risk assessments appropriate to the department
- Responsibility for finance, equipment and other resource
- To take a role in maintaining Mortuary equipment by carrying out visual checks and reporting any defects or abnormalities to the Senior APT or Mortuary Manager
- To decontaminate and provide appropriate documentation for medical devices that need to be serviced by other departments
- Responsibility for supervision and Leadershi
- Share good practice within the Mortuary, Care Group and Trust wide.
- Supervise trainee APTs as required
- Information technology and administrative duties
- Responsible for logging, safe storage and return of deceased patients property
- Responsible and accountable for maintaining accurate documentation and record keeping in line with Trust policies and the Royal College of Pathology
- Responsible for accurate records of the deceased and their property on the Mortuary computer system.
- Responsibility for research and developmen
- Take part in audits as requested by the Senior APT or Mortuary Manager
- To facilitate and organise the retrieval of any tissue or organs required in line with our existing Service Level Agreements, such as the removal, packaging and transport of Brain and Spinal cords
- Responsibility and accountabilit
- Ensure staff, deceased and bereaved relatives safety at all times
- Assist Scenes of Crime Officers with photography and fingerprinting.
Job description
Job responsibilities
- Communication and working relationshi
- Maintain patient and relative privacy, dignity and respect at all times
- Ensure positive relative experience in all aspects of after life care
- Engage and participate as required, in external visits to the Mortuary, ensuring compliance with national quality frameworks (e.g. HTA, CQC)
- Analytical and judgement
- Ensure that all available options for Tissue Donation are taken, including arranging 3rd party operatives to come in and facilitate retrieval if required.
- Responsible and accountable for the release of the deceased to authorised Funeral Directors in accordance with the law and local safety procedures, ensuring the correct identification of the deceased.
- To report incidents in line with Trust policies
- To make judgements regarding which techniques to use with the removal of organs, based on different Anatomy and Pathology which may be present.
- Planning and organisatio
- Responsibility for ensuring that Funeral Directors are given the correct certificates required for the disposal and cremation of the body
- Responsible for the organisation of foetuses for monthly committals at crematorium and arrange collection by contract Funeral Directors.
- Responsible for organising and participating in an out of hours on call rota
- Responsibility for patient and client car
- Responsible and accountable for recording and supervising lawful disposal of human tissue, products of conception and police forensic exhibits
- Have knowledge of specialist skills in Anatomical Pathology Technology, including knowledge of different evisceration and reconstruction techniques such as removal of spinal cord and some experience reconstructing trauma cases.
- Policy and service responsibilit
- Ensure continued professional development in-keeping with national practice and guidance
- Ensure that documentation surrounding consents for Post mortem and Tissue Donation are fully completed and in accordance with the law.
- Responsible for maintaining Health and Safety, Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) and Risk assessments appropriate to the department
- Responsibility for finance, equipment and other resource
- To take a role in maintaining Mortuary equipment by carrying out visual checks and reporting any defects or abnormalities to the Senior APT or Mortuary Manager
- To decontaminate and provide appropriate documentation for medical devices that need to be serviced by other departments
- Responsibility for supervision and Leadershi
- Share good practice within the Mortuary, Care Group and Trust wide.
- Supervise trainee APTs as required
- Information technology and administrative duties
- Responsible for logging, safe storage and return of deceased patients property
- Responsible and accountable for maintaining accurate documentation and record keeping in line with Trust policies and the Royal College of Pathology
- Responsible for accurate records of the deceased and their property on the Mortuary computer system.
- Responsibility for research and developmen
- Take part in audits as requested by the Senior APT or Mortuary Manager
- To facilitate and organise the retrieval of any tissue or organs required in line with our existing Service Level Agreements, such as the removal, packaging and transport of Brain and Spinal cords
- Responsibility and accountabilit
- Ensure staff, deceased and bereaved relatives safety at all times
- Assist Scenes of Crime Officers with photography and fingerprinting.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Level 3 Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology Or Certificate in Anatomical Pathology Technology
- Post Mortem Consent training
Desirable
- Bereavement / counselling course
- Qualified eye retriever for NHSBT
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of full range of Mortuary techniques, including Health & Safety, legal and administrative requirements
- Knowledge of the Human Tissue Act and its practical requirements
- Proven relevant experience post diploma
- Experience of High-Risk Autopsies
- Knowledge of different Evisceration and reconstruction techniques and when to apply them based on varied anatomy and Pathology present in a patient.
Desirable
- Experience of Forensic Postmortems
Specific Skills
Essential
- Good interpersonal skills
- Proven team worker
- Ability to work under pressure.
Working conditions
Essential
- Able to participate in out of hours working, evenings and weekend (1 in 4 on call)
Attitude
Essential
- Empathic/sympathetic approach
- Able to deal with a work pattern within the department which is unpredictable and able to re-prioritise tasks as different events unfold throughout the working day.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Level 3 Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology Or Certificate in Anatomical Pathology Technology
- Post Mortem Consent training
Desirable
- Bereavement / counselling course
- Qualified eye retriever for NHSBT
Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of full range of Mortuary techniques, including Health & Safety, legal and administrative requirements
- Knowledge of the Human Tissue Act and its practical requirements
- Proven relevant experience post diploma
- Experience of High-Risk Autopsies
- Knowledge of different Evisceration and reconstruction techniques and when to apply them based on varied anatomy and Pathology present in a patient.
Desirable
- Experience of Forensic Postmortems
Specific Skills
Essential
- Good interpersonal skills
- Proven team worker
- Ability to work under pressure.
Working conditions
Essential
- Able to participate in out of hours working, evenings and weekend (1 in 4 on call)
Attitude
Essential
- Empathic/sympathetic approach
- Able to deal with a work pattern within the department which is unpredictable and able to re-prioritise tasks as different events unfold throughout the working day.
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
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).
