Mortuary Manager

Job summary his is a new role within the mortuary service in part tosatisfy recent changes in governance recommendations and also with the increasingneed for direct management within the mortuaries.
We are seeking to appoint toan upgraded management position to support the enhanced role required withinour team.
This is a unique specialised role to manage aservice covering hospital and community deaths, forensic, and adult pathologyand invasive post mortems.
The role requires close working with AnatomicalPathology Technicians and assistants, pathologists and other pathologycolleagues.
You will also communicate with neighbouring Trusts, the Coronerservice, Medical examiners and funeral directors.
You will be responsible forensuring a safe department which complies with the human tissue authority andUKAS 15189 standards.
Any discrepancies to the standards will be investigatedand reported by the post holder, who will plan and implement the requiredimprovements working with the management team.
Main duties of the job The post holder will work autonomously to provide overallleadership and management of the hospital mortuary services across CountyDurham and Darlington.
The post holder will be a registered Health CareProfessional or qualified Anatomical Pathology Technician with significantexperience of leading busy and complex services.
The post holder will require amasters level qualification (or equivalent) and have relevant training andexperience in leadership and management.The main role is to lead and manage the Quality Assuranceand Health and Safety areas in the Mortuary Services across University HospitalNorth Durham and Darlington Memorial Hospital with responsibility for the dayto day operational running of the service.
Duties will be undertaken acrossmultiple sites with additional duties covering the community body stores ofBishop Auckland General Hospital and Richardson Hospital.To ensure quality assurance frameworks are in place for allmortuary services, and ensure data quality and governance arrangements arerobust.
To ensure all Trust health and safety andsecurity requirements are met in the mortuary sites and satellite body stores.
About us If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the managerYou must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checksWe provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham.
We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-representedFrom April 1 2024 we are unable to offer sponsorship for healthcare roles that do not meet the minimum salary, If you are in the UK on a VISA please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post.Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents Job description Job responsibilities Please refer to the job description for a full list ofdutiesLeadership and Management Deputise for Cellular Pathology Manager in their absence.
Provide leadership in a team environment and support allstaff, including during major incidents.
To manage quality assurance processes in main mortuarysites and satellite body stores.
Ensure all evisceration, diagnostic and patientreconstruction processes during a post mortem are carried out safely and inaccordance with policies.
Ensure the procedures for storage and release of deceasedare followed at all times.
Monitor and manage capacity and demand for the service,escalating concerns to the Cellular Pathology Manager in a timely manner.
Report the capacity data to the Trust Health Informaticsteam during high pressure periods.Quality Systems and Clinical Governance To lead the quality assurance aspect of mortuary services,both internal and external, and to act in accordance with SOPs.
Represent theservice at departmental quality meetings.
Develop, implement and maintain effective reportingsystems to provide reliable data to the Pathology management team for mortuarycomplaints, incidents and accreditation, licensing and security complianceconcerns.
Responsible for reporting accreditation and regulatoryperformance to the Pathology Quality Manager for onward reporting at Quality& Healthcare Governance Group, CSS Quality & Governance group andPathology management.
Undertake and review all necessary quality checks onmortuary services and be able to act on day to day problems encountered toresolve these in a timely manner.
To manage an audit schedule which meets the requirementsof ISO15189 and HTA standards.
Schedule and perform audits, record findings andresolve non-conformances in a timely manner.
Be a HTA Person Designate (PD) for CDDFT.
Lead and managethe technical mortuary staff to ensure licence conditions are met and escalateto the Pathology management team when there is a risk of breach or a failure tomeet any licence condition.
Arrange for the lawful disposal of human tissue followingthe appropriate consent processes.
Complete the self-assessment documentation for HTA.
In conjunction with the Cellular Pathology laboratorymanager and Designated Individual undertake the mortuary lead role in theinvestigation of high-level incidents including HTA reportable incidents.Ensure incidents are reported in a timely manner.
Monitor the departmental risk register relating tomortuary services, ensuring it is comprehensive and relevant and that all risksare updated in a timely fashion and escalating to the Cellular Pathologylaboratory manager as required.
To ensure that records pertaining to deceased persons areaccurate and stored appropriately.
Use information to provide reports onworkload and performance indicators and recommendations for efficient use ofmortuary resources.
The post holder will be required to produce statisticalreports and spreadsheets.Health and Safety and Security To liaise with the Trusts estates department and PFIpartners to ensure continued compliance with security arrangements.
Performregular audits of security on all sites.
Patient care Investigate non-compliances, incidents and complaintswithin limits of responsibility identified by the Pathology service managers,implementing corrective and preventative actions as required.
Monitor and manage long stay patients ensuring dignity ofthe deceased is maintained at all times.
Professionally accountable for ensuring patient safetywithin the mortuary environment.Policy and Service development The post holder will actively write, participate in thedevelopment of and implement Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), local andTrust wide policies, and service improvements in their own work area and alsowhere these may impact on other disciplines and departments.
Financial and physical resources The post holder will be able to purchase equipment andconsumables in line with current Trust standing financial instructions.
Required to have an awareness and understanding of theprinciples of financial management of their section and the department.Communication To maintain the highest level of patient confidentiality.
Liaise with other senior staff on the day to day operationof the department.
To give advice to service users and other staff on theprotocols, standards and guidelines within the provision of the service.
To investigate any anomalies within the department.
The post holder will be required to plan and prioritisetheir own workload and that of other staff.
This includes rostering andapproval of annual leave to ensure there is sufficient cross site cover and theout of hours service is maintained.
Perform annual performance and development reviews forstaff and maintain the mortuary training plan.
Management of attendance, staff grievances anddisciplinary issues.
Working with the Cellular Pathology Manager on therecruitment, selection and retention of the mortuary workforce.
Reviewing theskill mix in line with the changing needs of the service.
The post holder will maintain, calibrate and qualitycontrol specialist equipment for correct operation with appropriate recordkeeping in accordance with department protocols temperature monitors.
There is direct contact with deceased patients andexposure to distressing or emotional situations is to be expected.
The post holder may have to deal with difficult telephoneconversations with users who may be emotionally distressed.
Person Specification Qualifications Essential Relevant Masters degree or equivalent.
Level 4 Diploma in Anatomical Pathology Technology OR Registered healthcare professional (HCPC, NMC etc.)
Demonstrate evidence of on-going CPD.
Desirable Management qualification Specialist training courses health and safety Experience Essential Extensive management experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams.
Experience of working with a range of staff mortuary staff, porters, pathologists, ward staff, clinical staff.
Managing staff through a range of HR processes.
Experience of supporting and managing staff independently and autonomously.
Mortuary management or deputy roles including managing mortuary teams and site management OR Managing a ward or department in a health care setting, NHS or equivalent.
Leading a team through external regulation assessments (CQC, HTA, UKAS).
Experience of working in distressing situations.
Desirable Experienced Anatomical Pathology Technician Experience of being a Persons Designate for HTA license purposes.
Experience of liaising with external stakeholders and accreditation bodies such as HMC, HTA, undertakers, LRF, police, registry office.
Experience of budget and finance management.
Experience of major incident planning and / or mass fatalities.
Experience of managing complaints and leading high level investigations.
Experience in coronial and high risk post-mortems.
Experience of change management.
Experience of dealing with bereaved relatives.
Experience of supporting staff in difficult situations.
Conflict management.
Special Skills & Knowledge Essential Working knowledge of health and safety legislation.
Working knowledge of patient safety investigations and complaints.
Ability to prioritise and work under pressure and autonomously.
Good verbal & written communication skills.
Able to demonstrate Leadership and Management Skills.
Relevant Highly Specialist theoretical knowledge or practical experience in a mortuary setting.
Knowledge of processes of body receipt, storage and release.
Familiarity with Post Mortem dissection processes including Health and Safety and IPC requirements.
Evidence of developing policies and procedures.
Experience of working to standards such as UKAS and especially HTA Able to investigate incidents and implement changes from the lessons learned, for example root cause analysis.
Excellent IT skills including word, excel and powerpoint.
Desirable Training & staff development.
Able to complete gap analysis and manage action plans.
Able to plan and complete detailed audits and manage improvement based on findings and trends.
A working knowledge of care after death protocols at ward level and documentation for deceased.
Understanding of customs and practices associated with different religious, non-religious and cultural traditions.
Special Requirements Essential Able to travel across Trust sites to meet the requirements of the post, sometimes at short notice.
Ability to work out of hours as required.