Mortuary Administration Coordinator

We are inviting suitably qualified candidates to apply for the post of Mortuary Administration Co-ordinator at Great Ormond Street Hospital. This is a varied role and would suit a candidate who is a competent administrator ideally with administrative experience in an NHS Mortuary environment. This role will also provide an excellent opportunity for individuals seeking a further career within the Mortuary sector.

You will have a caring, empathetic, and confident nature and be adaptable to a fast-paced working environment. You will need to have a flexible approach to daily tasks, demonstrate the ability to work on your own initiative, liaise with others and have excellent attention to detail. The work will include assisting with the care of patients, liaising with external and internal service users such as clinicians, Coroner's Officers and Police Forces, developing working relationships with these users, working with families, and ensuring HTA and UKAS standards are followed.

The role of Mortuary Administration Co-ordinator is patient facing and will require working within the mortuary environment. This will involve managing sensitive and distressing information in line with GDPR, Data Protection Act and patient confidentiality. Knowledge and experience of managing Electronic Patient Records and computer software including Microsoft Office, Word and Excel will be required.

Main duties of the job:

• To be the first point of contact for referrers and other healthcare professionals, managers and staff contacting the department. This may be in person, via email, referral portals and on the telephone. These must be dealt with politely and efficiently and may be of a difficult and sensitive nature. It will be essential that patient confidentiality is maintained.
• To have specialist knowledge and use judgement to provide useful advice to colleagues and users of the service.
• Liaise with the mortuary manager and senior specialist APT on all issues pertaining to the delivery of the service and follow through any necessary actions.
• To treat all patients with dignity and respect in line with HTA, Trust and local standards and policies, including patient and visitor safeguarding.
• To manage patient referrals for post mortem examination from referring hospitals, Coroners and police forces in line with national and local guidelines.
• To arrange appointments with funeral directors and other organisations for the admission and discharge of patients to and from GOSH mortuary.
• To maintain the mortuary workflow board to provide accurate oversight of each patient within GOSH’s care.
• To participate in clinical audits across mortuary and histopathology as required.
• To ensure UKAS/ISO/HTA standards are adhered to and maintained, assisting with any inspections as they are carried out.

GOSH is committed to recruiting the best person for the job, based solely on their ability and individual merit as measured against the criteria for the role; through a process that is fair, open, consistent and free from bias and discrimination. We are committed to being a diverse and inclusive employer and foster a culture where all staff are valued, respected and acknowledged. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, disability status or length of time spent unemployed. We particularly welcome applications from BAME communities, people with disabilities and/or long-term health conditions and LGBT+ community members.

We have policies and procedures in place to ensure that all applicants and employees are treated fairly and consistently. We are proud to be accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, a member of Business Disability Forum and a Stonewall Diversity Champion. We have active and Executive supported BAME, LGBT+ and Allies, Disability and Long-Term Health Conditions and Women’s staff networks. Staff networks are employee-led groups formed around interests, issues and a common bond or background. Staff network members create a positive and inclusive work environment at Great Ormond Street Hospital by actively contributing to the Trust’s mission, values and efforts specific to inclusion. All of our staff networks are open to any employee.

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment(s) below. The job description is intended as an outline of the areas of activity and can be amended in the light of the changing needs of the service and will be reviewed as necessary in conjunction with the post-holder.

GOSH Culture and Values:

• Education to A-level standard or NVQ/Diploma at Level 3 or Level 3 Apprenticeship qualification or Previous experience in a similar role.
• Demonstrate evidence of commitment to professional development.
• Knowledge of the full range of administrative procedures, acquired through training and previous experience of working in an administrative environment.
• Previous administrative experience in a similar setting.
• High quality customer service skills.
• Basic knowledge of mortuary procedures.
• Knowledge of Managing Electronic Patient Records including computer software including Microsoft Office, Word and Excel.
• To have read and understood basics of Caldicott principles and GDPR.
• Previous experience of working in the NHS.
• Knowledge and experience of HTA requirements.
• Knowledge of medical Terminology.
• Experience of working in a Clinical Paediatric Mortuary environment.

Skills/Abilities:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Confident using ICT skills including Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel.
• Polite and informative telephone etiquette.
• Uses of empathy and emotional intelligence when dealing with difficult situations.
• Able to communicate clearly and sensitively with a wide range of patients in situations where there may be barriers to understanding (language difficulties, anxious or distressed parents/families).
• Understands the importance of confidentiality and takes responsibility for protecting confidential information.
• Able to follow various complex procedures and practices with attention to detail.
• Able to work as an effective team player.
• Able to work independently, with minimal supervision, to meet deadlines.
• To have specialist knowledge and use judgement to provide useful advice to colleagues and/or patients and families.