Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Mortuary & Bereavement Operational Manager - Deputy HTADI

The closing date is 17 November 2026

Job summary
Mortuary & Bereavement Operational Manager - Deputy HTADI

The Mortuary & Bereavement Services Manager is responsible for the operational leadership, management, and development of the Trust's Mortuary, Bereavement, and Medical Examiner Office services. Working closely with the Pathology Clinical Director, Service Manager, and Human Tissue Authority Designated Individual (HTADI), the post holder will ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centred services that meet the needs of bereaved families

The role provides professional and managerial leadership to multidisciplinary teams, overseeing service performance, workforce development, quality governance, regulatory compliance, and financial management. Acting as Deputy Designated Individual under the Human Tissue Act 2004, the post holder will support the maintenance of Human Tissue Authority licences, ensure compliance with relevant legislation and national standards, and promote continuous service improvement.

The successful candidate will lead service transformation and strategic development across Mortuary, Bereavement, and Medical Examiner services, fostering strong partnerships with clinical teams, faith groups, coronial services, and system partners. They will play a pivotal role in ensuring dignified, compassionate, and efficient care for deceased patients and their families while maintaining the highest standards of governance, quality, and regulatory compliance.

Main duties of the job
Support the HTADI in representing the Trust in relation to incidents, inspections, regulatory submissions and reports required by the Human Tissue Authority (HTA), ensuring continued compliance with statutory licensing requirements.

About us
Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust provides hospital services to a growing population of around 700,000 people living across Bedfordshire and the surrounding areas across two busy hospital sites in Bedford and Luton. Both hospital sites offer key services such as A&E, Obstetrics-led Maternity and Paediatrics. You will be joining a friendly, high performing Trust committed to ensuring the health and wellbeing of staff. As one of the largest NHS Trusts in our region you will have access to a programme of high quality training and development to help you grow your career. The Trust continues to be committed to delivering the best patient care using the best clinical knowledge and technology available.

Our values
We not only recruit based on qualifications and experience - we recruit individuals who demonstrate the behaviours which underpin our Trusts core values. We achieve this by using values based recruitment. We are dedicated to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone, we are committed to promoting equality and diversity and creating a culture that values differences.

Please note that vacancies may close prior to the advertised closing date when sufficient number of applications have been received. All new staff will be subject to a probationary period covering first 6 months in post. Travel between hospital sites may be required. Please review all documents attached to ensure you familiarize yourself with all requirements of the job.

Details
Date posted: 10 November 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 8a
Salary: £57,528 to £64,750 a year per annum
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Full-time
Reference number: 418-DTO90959-KA
Job locations: Cross site Bedford NHS Foundation Trust Hospitals, Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom

Job description
Job responsibilities

• Provide operational and managerial leadership for Mortuary, Bereavement, and Medical Examiner Office services across the Trust.
• Ensure the provision of an efficient, responsive, high-quality service operating 24 hours per day, 365 days per year.
• Lead the planning, organisation, and delivery of services to meet the needs of the Trust, Bedfordshire Coroner, BLMK Integrated Care System, and other stakeholders.
• Support the implementation of service transformation, harmonisation, and modernisation programmes.
• Develop and maintain effective systems for monitoring service performance, quality standards, workload, and capacity.
• Ensure appropriate mortuary capacity management arrangements are in place, including escalation processes for excess deaths and mass casualty incidents.
• Lead and support service redesign initiatives that improve quality, efficiency, resilience, and patient experience.
• Act as deputy for the HTA Designated Individual and represent the service in their absence.
• Act as Deputy Designated Individual under the Human Tissue Act 2004.
• Support the HTADI in ensuring compliance with all Human Tissue Authority licences and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain a comprehensive knowledge of the Human Tissue Act 2004, associated legislation, and relevant HTA Codes of Practice.
• Ensure compliance with Post Mortem Sector Standards and all relevant guidance, legislation, and professional frameworks.
• Lead preparations for HTA inspections and coordinate responses to inspection findings and regulatory actions.
• Support investigations, reporting, and management of incidents relating to licensed activities.
• Provide regular compliance updates, assurance reports, and performance briefings to the HTADI and senior management.
• Lead the governance and quality agenda across Mortuary and Bereavement Services.
• Establish systems for monitoring, auditing, and improving service quality and safety.
• Ensure incidents, risks, complaints, and concerns are managed in accordance with Trust policies and national requirements.
• Promote a culture of continuous improvement, learning, openness, and accountability.
• Ensure policies, procedures, and standard operating procedures are maintained, implemented, and regularly reviewed.
• Monitor compliance with Health and Safety, Infection Prevention and Control, Data Protection, and other statutory requirements.
• Lead departmental responses to audits, inspections, accreditation assessments, and assurance reviews.
• Support development of clinical governance frameworks for Mortuary, Bereavement, and Medical Examiner services.
• Provide effective leadership and line management to allied healthcare professionals, anatomical pathology technologists, bereavement staff, administrative personnel, and Medical Examiner Office staff as required.
• Lead recruitment, retention, workforce planning, succession planning, and organisational change initiatives.
• Ensure staff receive appropriate supervision, training, competency assessment, appraisal, and professional development.
• Promote an inclusive, supportive, and high-performing culture.
• Manage attendance, performance, conduct, and capability issues in accordance with Trust policies.
• Support the development of future leaders and specialist practitioners within the service.
• Ensure staff maintain mandatory training and professional competence requirements.
• Support budget planning, financial management, and achievement of efficiency targets.
• Ensure effective stewardship of departmental resources, equipment, and facilities.
• Lead procurement activities and equipment replacement planning where appropriate.
• Develop business cases and service development proposals to support strategic objectives.
• Ensure services operate within allocated budgets while maintaining quality and compliance standards.
• Monitor contracts, service agreements, and supplier performance as required.
• Support delivery of the Trust's strategic vision for Mortuary, Bereavement, and Medical Examiner services.
• Identify opportunities for service innovation and improvement.
• Lead projects that enhance service quality, operational effectiveness, and user experience.
• Contribute to Trust-wide transformation, governance, and quality programmes.
• Develop service strategies that support current and future healthcare needs.
• Benchmark services against national best practice and emerging sector developments.
• Develop and maintain effective working relationships with Pathology Consultants, Clinical Directors, Directorate Managers, Medical Examiners, and multidisciplinary teams.
• Act as the principal operational liaison for Mortuary and Bereavement Services with the Bedfordshire Coroner and associated agencies.
• Build strong relationships with faith leaders, funeral directors, local authorities, Integrated Care System partners, and external stakeholders.
• Represent the service at Trust, regional, and national meetings, committees, and forums.
• Provide specialist advice and guidance on mortuary, bereavement, post-mortem, and Human Tissue Authority matters.
• Manage complex, sensitive, and highly emotive communications with professionalism and compassion.
• Promote effective communication and collaboration across all service areas.
• Ensure the dignity, respect, and compassionate care of deceased patients remains central to all service activities.
• Maintain professional knowledge and competency in relevant legislation, regulatory requirements, and best practice guidance.
• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures, and professional standards across Mortuary and Bereavement Services.
• Uphold Trust values and behaviours at all times.
• Undertake any other duties commensurate with the grade and responsibilities of the post.

To provide strategic and operational leadership for the Trust's Mortuary, Bereavement, and Medical Examiner Office services, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective, compassionate, and compliant services whilst maintaining the highest standards of governance, regulatory assurance, workforce development, and dignified care for deceased patients and their families.

Person Specification
Qualifications

• Essential: Holds a recognised RSPH APT certificate level 4 Diploma to degree level or equivalent
• Essential: Extensive knowledge and understanding of current legislation relating to Coroner's post mortems, death registration and statutory duties, local and national developments in care after death to post graduate level or experience to its equivalency
• Desirable: Membership of the Association of Anatomical Pathology Technologists
• Desirable: Understanding of NHS governance
• Desirable: CMI qualification

Experience

• Essential: Experience Managing Mortuary Operations
• Essential: Experience in advanced specialist post mortem techniques.
• Essential: Designing and carrying out audits
• Essential: Experience with HTARIs and Inspections
• Essential: Planning and delivery of a number of services in liaison with service users and providers, including HMC
• Desirable: Line management
• Desirable: Experience of mentoring trainee APT

Communication Skills

• Essential: Communicating, with service providers such as Council, Funeral Directors, Coroners, Digital Post Mortem Centres and support agencies.
• Essential: Excellent verbal communication skills
• Essential: Highly developed listening skills
• Essential: Able to write clearly and accurately
• Essential: Professional and friendly manner both face to face and by telephone
• Essential: Ability to communicate complex information
• Desirable: Communications with Environmental Health and Human tissue authority
• Desirable: Negotiation skills

Knowledge

• Essential: Specialist knowledge and work experience at senior level in regulations, governance HTA law.
• Essential: Specialist knowledge of digital PM procedures.
• Essential: Experience in advanced specialist post mortem techniques. Quality Management Systems.
• Essential: Knowledge of clinical risk and governance
• Essential: In depth knowledge of the medico-legal and administrative processes following death
• Desirable: Understanding of current developments in PMCT service

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details
Employer name: Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: Cross site Bedford NHS Foundation Trust Hospitals, Lewsey Road, Luton, LU4 0DZ, United Kingdom
Employer's website: https://www.bedfordshirehospitals.nhs.uk/working-here/

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: HTADI Mortuary- Medical Examiners Service Manager, Tony Simpson, tony.simpson@bedsft.nhs.uk, 07769880053

Supporting documents
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