Job overview

*INTERNAL POST*

This is a really exciting time to join our team and help shape our Bereavement Service as a Bereavement Officer, in our department at the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and Princess Royal Hospital.  We have 2 vacancies open, with both post holders being required to work at both hospital sites, on a monthly rotational basis.   The post holder must possess excellent communication skills, be empathetic and caring with the ability to provide a professional and co-ordinated bereavement service to the relatives, carers, friends, and legal representatives of patients who die in the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust.

The role involves contact with a wide variety of professions, both internally and externally to the trust. In addition, the successful candidates will work collaboratively with the Medical Examiner Service to ensure paperwork is reviewed and completed in a timely manner. You will be able to use your own initiative and have an eye for detail. Being computer literate and be experienced in your practical understanding of Microsoft Office applications. You will be able to work to tight deadlines, changing and challenging situations, whilst maintaining a professional and calm demeanour and maintaining your attention to detail. Be able to handle a number of tasks simultaneously and complete all of the tasks in an effective manner. 

The need to work flexibly across both our hospital sites, to meet the needs of the service,  is a requirement of the successful candidates.

Main duties of the job

To have an overview and when necessary, maintain the process for receiving all deceased records from clinical areas to ensure timely review of the case by the Medical Examiner Team and support the Bereavement Administrator with this function.

Maintain a robust process for referring deaths to the Medical Examiner Service.

Support the Bereavement Administrator in handling calls from highly emotive and distressed relatives. 

Ensure that UK death certification and coronial process is adhered to throughout deceased pathway.

To act promptly and take a team approach in ensuring requests for urgent body release for faith purposes are dealt with timely and with the urgency they require whilst ensuring due diligence is carried out by both the Bereavement and ME service to ensure required processes are followed.

When applicable to ensure the bereaved are supported in receiving the personal belongings of their relatives from clinical areas.

 Following Medical Examiner review to ensure any concerns raised by the relatives are dealt with in a timely manner and forwarded to the appropriate support service such as Patient Safety or Patient Experience for further investigation or input.

The nature of our work means you can be exposed to distressing and upsetting detail. The role of the Bereavement Officer can be demanding and requires a resilient approach.

Cross cover between both hospital sites will be required at times to meet the needs of the service.

Working for your organisation

About us

The Bereavement & Medical Examiner service is a team of knowledgeable & dedicated staff who are committed to helping and supporting family members following the death of a patient in our care. You will benefit from joining a friendly team who look out for each another and due to the nature of our work we ensure our colleagues are supported in their roles. We work with staff at all levels and with various internal and external stakeholders and in doing so, you will build a rapport with interdependent departments and services which will expand your knowledge base, skills and experience.