Bereavement Nurse in Wigan

Site Royal Albert Edward Infirmary (All site cover) Town Wigan Salary £39,959 - £48,117 Per annum, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 18/08/2026 23:59

People at the Heart. One Team. Your Career at WWL.

Job overview

We are seeking a compassionate and skilled Bereavement Nurse (Band 6) to join our Trust‑wide Bereavement Service.

Working under the guidance of the Band 7 Bereavement Specialist Liaison Nurse, you will provide high‑quality emotional and practical support to bereaved individuals and staff following expected and unexpected deaths, informed by the

NICE three‑component model of bereavement support .

The vacancy may close early if sufficient quality applications are received.

Main duties of the job

Key responsibilities include

• Delivering sensitive, person‑centred bereavement support to patients, families and carers
• Providing specialist advice and guidance, escalating complex cases as appropriate
• Supporting staff with difficult conversations around death, dying and bereavement
• Acting as keyworker following a child death in line with statutory guidance
• Maintaining accurate clinical records and contributing to service evaluation and audit
• Working collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team and contributing to training and service development

You will be an NMC‑registered nurse with excellent communication skills, able to manage emotionally challenging situations with empathy and professionalism, and committed to high standards of care and ongoing professional development.

Working for our organisation

Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is proud to provide high‑quality acute hospital and community services to the people of the Wigan Borough and surrounding areas.

At WWL, our staff are central to everything we do — we believe that happy staff make for happy patients, and this ethos underpins our culture and our success.

• We have a strong, recognised track record in staff engagement and in living our values:
• People at the Heart
• Listen and Involve
• Kind and Respectful
• ONE Team

We are committed to placing patients at the heart of every decision and delivering safe, effective care that protects dignity and enhances experience.

We seek to recruit people who share our values, our passion for high‑quality care, and our belief in working together as One Team.

At WWL, we recognise the strength that comes from a rich and diverse workforce.

We welcome applications from all sections of society and are dedicated to creating an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive.

• Detailed job description and main responsibilities
• Clinical Practice
• Deliver high-quality end of life and bereavement care and training in line with agreed pathways, policies and evidence-based practice.
• Undertake assessment, planning, delivery and review of bereavement support for patients, families and carers within own scope of practice.
• Provide specialist bereavement support and advice, seeking guidance and escalating complex cases appropriately.
• Support staff in communicating sensitively with patients and families, including discussions around bereavement and end of life care.
• Maintain accurate, timely and confidential clinical records in accordance with Trust policy and professional standards.
• Teamworking and Professional Support
• Work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary team to support coordinated end of life and bereavement care.
• Act as a knowledgeable resource for staff, offering training, advice and support where appropriate.
• Support students and less experienced staff in practice, under supervision.
• Quality and Governance
• Practice in accordance with Trust policies, clinical governance arrangements and current legislation.
• Participate in audit and service evaluation activities as required, contributing information and feedback.
• Identify and elevate risks, safeguarding concerns and quality issues appropriately.
• Professional Responsibilities
• Maintain professional accountability and competence in line with NMC requirements.
• Participate in supervision, appraisal and mandatory training.
• Demonstrate reflective practice and commitment to continuing professional development.

Person specification

Qualifications, Knowledge and Training

• Registered Nurse (Adult, Child or Mental Health)
• Current NMC registration
• Evidence of ongoing CPD relevant to role
• Knowledge of professional accountability and scope of practice
• Understanding of grief and bereavement responses
• Post registration qualification or training in bereavement, palliative or end of life care
• Knowledge of NICE three component model of bereavement support
• Training related to child death processes or safeguarding

Experience

• Experience providing emotional support to patients, families or carers
• Experience managing emotionally distressing or sensitive situations
• Experience of working within a multidisciplinary team
• Experience maintaining accurate and confidential clinical records
• Experience in bereavement, palliative or end of life care
• Experience supporting staff following expected or unexpected death
• Experience of audit, service evaluation or quality improvement

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to communicate sensitive and complex information empathetically
• Ability to assess, plan, deliver and evaluate bereavement support
• Ability to recognise limitations and elevate complex cases appropriately
• Ability to manage challenging and emotionally distressing situations calmly
• Ability to organise and prioritise own workload
• Ability to work flexibly to meet service needs
• Ability to advise, support and provide informal training to staff
• Personal Attributes
• Compassionate, professional and non judgemental approach
• Resilient with ability to use reflective practice
• Ability to work independently and under supervision
• Commitment to patient centred care and Trust values
• Confidence acting as a knowledgeable resource for colleagues
• Other Requirements
• Ability to meet emotional and professional demands of the role
• Ability to undertake SPOC and keyworker responsibilities, including child death processes
• Commitment to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults
• Ability to communicate effectively in English (verbal and written)
• Commitment to Trust policies, governance and professional standards
• On-Call

Please note that some roles may require participation in an on-call rota, particularly those that are operational in nature.

WWL is part of the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment.

We recognise continuous or ‘unbroken’ service from any Greater Manchester Local Authority, NHS organisation, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service or the Greater Manchester Combined Authority.

This ensures access to our service-related benefits.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Name Judith Seddon Job title Bereavement Liaison Specialist Nurse Email address Judith. Seddon@wwl. nhs. uk Telephone number 03007073548

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