Job summary Applications are invited from an enthusiastic and motivated individual for a full-time permanent support worker post in the Mortuaries. The position will be a rotating post, involving working at the LGI & SJUH mortuaries. As a Mortuary support worker you will be expected to assist with the care and handling of deceased patients and to liaise with bereaved relatives, funeral directors and other external agencies. No prior experience is required but an understanding of mortuary processes would be an advantage. Full in-house training and supervision will be given. The post is suitable for someone who is highly motivated, driven and a good team worker. This is a challenging, varied role in a busy and sometimes distressing environment. You will be required to demonstrate high levels of sensitivity and confidentiality, good verbal, physical and written communication skills. Expected Shortlisting Date 03/03/2025 Planned Interview Date 07/03/2025 Main duties of the job Working in the Mortuaries at LTHT the post holder will provide support to a team of Anatomical Pathology Technologists, medical staff and some external stakeholders. Duties include: Assist with admin tasks within the mortuary such as booking in and release records of patients, daily work lists for bereavement, escalation lists. Prepare deceased patients for viewing and making arrangements with their relatives and Coroner's officer if appropriate. Assist with receipt/release of deceased patients and maintain accurate dispatch/receipt records. Assist in the monitoring, cleaning and maintenance of mortuary and equipment. To demonstrate relevant job related tasks to new or more junior staff. To adhere to all departmental SOPs, policies, H&S regulations and data protection. To arrange for the safe collection and transportation of human tissue and samples. Subject to consultation you may be required to undertake additional tasks in support of the general management of the department. About us The department provides the Mortuary and Postmortem services for the Trust and H.M. Coroner for Leeds from the mortuaries at the LGI and SJUH as well as providing Histopathology, Andrology, Immunohistochemistry, Muscle, Molecular, Non Gynae Cytology services for Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust. We process circa 58,000 surgical, 2,000 autopsy and 6000 non-gynaecological cytology cases per annum. We are a continually improving department, striving for high quality staff and processes. As a training hospital we serve to expand the knowledge and skills of all grades of staff. There are plenty of opportunities to become involved in, and further development is encouraged. We endeavour to follow 'The Leeds Way' at all times, and our focus is to put the patient first at all times. Leeds Teaching Hospitals is committed to our process of redeploying 'at risk' members of our existing workforce to new roles. As such, all our job adverts are subject to this policy and we reserve the right to close, delay or remove adverts while this process is completed. If you do experience a delay in the shortlisting stage of the recruitment cycle, please bear with us while this process is completed, and contact the named contact if you have any questions. Date posted 10 February 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 3 Salary £24,071 to £25,674 a year Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Flexible working Reference number C9298-PATH-404 Job locations Leeds General Infirmary Great George Street Leeds LS1 3EX Job description Job responsibilities PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY To enter and retrieve patient information using the laboratory computer system. Assist with day to day administrative tasks within the mortuary such as booking in and release records of patients, daily work lists for bereavement, escalation lists Prepare deceased patients for viewing and making arrangements with their relatives and Coroner's officer if appropriate. Assist with receipt/release of deceased patients and maintain accurate dispatch/receipt records To assist in the day to day monitoring, cleaning and maintenance of mortuary equipment. Participate in mortuary cleaning and maintenance schedules To ensure accurate record keeping of temperature monitoring charts, cleaning schedules, capacity and winter pressure monitoring To contribute to general departmental management by assisting in the receipt and control of consumables. To demonstrate relevant job related tasks to new or more junior staff To participate in laboratory audit processes to establish and maintain high standards of work in the office and to ensure effective liaison between the Mortuary and all its stakeholders To be aware of the requirements of data protection and HTA guidelines To adhere to all departmental standard operating procedures, policies and health and safety regulations To keep the workplace and work areas clean and tidy To control access to the Mortuary within working hours. To arrange for the safe collection and transportation of human tissue and samples and to maintain accurate records of dispatch and receipt To ensure all training and competency records are kept up to date Transfer of samples around the cellular pathology department COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS As the job holder you will communicate and work directly or indirectly with a diverse range of other staff. Those shown below are examples: Internal - Colleagues, supervisors and managers within the speciality - Pathology staff working in other specialities, eg Biomedical Scientists - Members of clinical teams including nurses, doctors and other practitioners - Administrative and secretarial staff - Estates and facilities staff - Bereavement staff External - Staff in primary care facilities - Staff in other hospitals - Staff in non NHS organizations (for example suppliers of consumables) - Police Officers SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS As the job holder you will be required to work in a mortuary environment. As such you will work under controlled conditions where chemical and biohazardous materials are handled. For your own protection you will be required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment and for this you will receive training. Frequent periods of light and occasional periods of moderate physical activity related to stores management may be expected. The service is delivered from a number of different sites and you may be required, subject to consultation, to travel between sites. PHYSICAL EFFORT: Regular requirement to sit at PC and regular requirement for post holder to be mobile for collection & delivery of samples, paperwork and stock. This job requires the holder to participate in stock control, including the movement of goods from the point of delivery to the point of storage. This will require frequent movement of light and moderate loads up to 15kg. Subject to suitable and sufficient manual handling training the job holder may occasionally be asked to assist in the movement of equipment or consumables that weigh in excess of 15kg. There will also be a requirement to move patients for which full moving and handling training will be provided. This job requires the holder to prepare patients for viewing and making arrangements with their relatives and Coroner's officer if appropriate. MENTAL EFFORT: The day to day repertoire of this job is diverse and the job holder can expect to be asked by supervisory staff to change tasks at short notice. In order to minimize errors concentration is required on a daily basis when processing specimens. Occasionally this may require prolonged concentration and is subject to workload. There is no requirement for the job holder to drive a vehicle EMOTIONAL EFFORT: As this is a mortuary based role dealing with deceased patients, exposure to emotional circumstances is frequent. WORKING CONDITIONS: The job holder will be required to work with chemical and biological material on every shift. The working environment in a mortuary is strictly controlled and under normal circumstances these hazards are contained. There will be occasional exposure to uncontrolled chemical and biological hazard after spillage or leakage. Exposure to physical aggressive behaviour is rare. Occasional exposure to verbal aggression occurs during telephone communication with service users. This list is not exhaustive and the changing needs of the service from time to time may require the development of other appropriate tasks and skills. These will be fully discussed with the post holder in advance of their implementation. Job description Job responsibilities PRINCIPAL DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY To enter and retrieve patient information using the laboratory computer system. Assist with day to day administrative tasks within the mortuary such as booking in and release records of patients, daily work lists for bereavement, escalation lists Prepare deceased patients for viewing and making arrangements with their relatives and Coroner's officer if appropriate. Assist with receipt/release of deceased patients and maintain accurate dispatch/receipt records To assist in the day to day monitoring, cleaning and maintenance of mortuary equipment. Participate in mortuary cleaning and maintenance schedules To ensure accurate record keeping of temperature monitoring charts, cleaning schedules, capacity and winter pressure monitoring To contribute to general departmental management by assisting in the receipt and control of consumables. To demonstrate relevant job related tasks to new or more junior staff To participate in laboratory audit processes to establish and maintain high standards of work in the office and to ensure effective liaison between the Mortuary and all its stakeholders To be aware of the requirements of data protection and HTA guidelines To adhere to all departmental standard operating procedures, policies and health and safety regulations To keep the workplace and work areas clean and tidy To control access to the Mortuary within working hours. To arrange for the safe collection and transportation of human tissue and samples and to maintain accurate records of dispatch and receipt To ensure all training and competency records are kept up to date Transfer of samples around the cellular pathology department COMMUNICATION & WORKING RELATIONSHIPS As the job holder you will communicate and work directly or indirectly with a diverse range of other staff. Those shown below are examples: Internal - Colleagues, supervisors and managers within the speciality - Pathology staff working in other specialities, eg Biomedical Scientists - Members of clinical teams including nurses, doctors and other practitioners - Administrative and secretarial staff - Estates and facilities staff - Bereavement staff External - Staff in primary care facilities - Staff in other hospitals - Staff in non NHS organizations (for example suppliers of consumables) - Police Officers SPECIAL WORKING CONDITIONS As the job holder you will be required to work in a mortuary environment. As such you will work under controlled conditions where chemical and biohazardous materials are handled. For your own protection you will be required to wear appropriate personal protective equipment and for this you will receive training. Frequent periods of light and occasional periods of moderate physical activity related to stores management may be expected. The service is delivered from a number of different sites and you may be required, subject to consultation, to travel between sites. PHYSICAL EFFORT: Regular requirement to sit at PC and regular requirement for post holder to be mobile for collection & delivery of samples, paperwork and stock. This job requires the holder to participate in stock control, including the movement of goods from the point of delivery to the point of storage. This will require frequent movement of light and moderate loads up to 15kg. Subject to suitable and sufficient manual handling training the job holder may occasionally be asked to assist in the movement of equipment or consumables that weigh in excess of 15kg. There will also be a requirement to move patients for which full moving and handling training will be provided. This job requires the holder to prepare patients for viewing and making arrangements with their relatives and Coroner's officer if appropriate. MENTAL EFFORT: The day to day repertoire of this job is diverse and the job holder can expect to be asked by supervisory staff to change tasks at short notice. In order to minimize errors concentration is required on a daily basis when processing specimens. Occasionally this may require prolonged concentration and is subject to workload. There is no requirement for the job holder to drive a vehicle EMOTIONAL EFFORT: As this is a mortuary based role dealing with deceased patients, exposure to emotional circumstances is frequent. WORKING CONDITIONS: The job holder will be required to work with chemical and biological material on every shift. The working environment in a mortuary is strictly controlled and under normal circumstances these hazards are contained. There will be occasional exposure to uncontrolled chemical and biological hazard after spillage or leakage. Exposure to physical aggressive behaviour is rare. Occasional exposure to verbal aggression occurs during telephone communication with service users. This list is not exhaustive and the changing needs of the service from time to time may require the development of other appropriate tasks and skills. These will be fully discussed with the post holder in advance of their implementation. Person Specification Qualifications Essential Maths GCSE standard or equivalent qualification English GCSE standard or equivalent qualification Desirable Evidence of a willingness to undertake further in-house or formal training Experience Essential An understanding of health and safety in the workplace An understanding of patient confidentiality Desirable Experience of working in a mortuary/laboratory Other Criteria Essential Physically able to move between hospital sites Skills and Behaviours Essential Basic computer skills Able to work as part of a team Flexible approach to work Good communicator Person Specification Qualifications Essential Maths GCSE standard or equivalent qualification English GCSE standard or equivalent qualification Desirable Evidence of a willingness to undertake further in-house or formal training Experience Essential An understanding of health and safety in the workplace An understanding of patient confidentiality Desirable Experience of working in a mortuary/laboratory Other Criteria Essential Physically able to move between hospital sites Skills and Behaviours Essential Basic computer skills Able to work as part of a team Flexible approach to work Good communicator 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. Employer details Employer name Leeds Teaching Hospitals Address Leeds General Infirmary Great George Street Leeds LS1 3EX Employer's website https://www.leedsth.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)