Job summary
Would you like to join a small but supportive team in the role of Bereavement Officer?

The Bereavement Officer will provide:

• Support and guidance to relatives, carers, friends and hospital staff dealing with the death of in patients.
• Ensure all the necessary paperwork is completed to the required standard so that the appropriate person can register the death at the local Town Hall.
• Provide information to relatives, carers or friends to facilitate the organisation of funerals or cremations.
• Ensure that those involved in the 'out of hours' releasing of bodies are fully prepared and able to do so.
• Supports and covers for the medical examiner officer and mortuary officer during absence and leave, this involves going into the mortuary and arranging viewings of the body.

The Bereavement Officer is an interesting and varied role in a busy unpredictable environment. You will require excellent customer service, communication and organisational skills. The work involves dealing with people at an extremely difficult time in their lives and you must be able to complete the necessary tasks whilst acting in a caring and compassionate manner. Be able to deliver information in a clear and precise way and is computer literate.

This is a challenging, but rewarding post, within a supportive team, focused on improving the experiences of people visiting our hospitals. An informal visit is recommended.

Main duties of the job

• To provide a service which will allow relatives, carers, friends and staff to feel supported following the death of a patient.
• To facilitate doctors to provide an accurately completed medical certificate of cause of death for the next of kin to enable them to register the death at the Town Hall, liaising with the medical examiner officer and medical examiner as required.
• Make an appointment for the next of kin at the Town Hall.
• Arrange viewing of the body at the Hospital Chapel of Rest during office hours.
• Request medical staff to complete Medical certificate of cause of death accurately in a timely fashion.
• Facilitate the completion of cremation forms if requested by the undertakers.
• Guide the next of kin to where they can collect valuables belonging to the deceased.
• If there is no next of kin the Bereavement Officer will carry out the following actions:

• Ask the Local Authority to carry out a search of the patient's property to check whether details of next of kin are available or contact genealogist to search for relatives.
• If no next of kin is determined then register the death as the occupier.

About us
Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a high performing and flourishing organisation serving the population of Hackney, East London, The City and beyond.

We are extremely proud of the fact that Homerton Hospital has recently attained the highest possible rating of "Outstanding" from the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

Our integrated Trust provides comprehensive hospital and community health services for its local population and a range of specialist services for a wider group of patients. In addition, the Trust manages services out of St Leonard's Hospital and the Mary Seacole Nursing Home.

Homerton aims to ensure equality and value diversity, and we are committed to inclusion for all of our staff. This is reflected in our policies, procedures and People Plan. All of our staff are expected to embody our Trust values at all times.

We are also committed, through our Fair Recruitment Standards, to ensuring all applicants are treated fairly.

Homerton has a proud tradition of supporting and developing its staff, including its well-regarded and valued nursing community, and all staff are able to take advantage of a great range of benefits.

Homerton is proud to have been included on the HSJ & Nursing Times Best Places to Work list.

Job responsibilities
The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. For both documents, please view the attachment/s on this page.

The person specification below is not the full person specification but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.

Person Specification
Experience
Essential

• Evidence of working unsupervised
• Providing a service to the general public

Desirable

• Experience of working with the bereaved
• Working in a hospital environment

Education / Qualifications
Essential

• Demonstrable mathematics and English skills, both verbally and written

Skills/ Abilities
Essential

• Excellent communication skills, verbal and written
• Be able to deliver information in a clear and precise way
• Computer literate

Knowledge
Essential

• Awareness of the concept of consumer care

Desirable

• Understanding of the documentation and process following the death of a patient

Trust Values, Equal Opportunities and Other Requirements
Essential

• Understanding and demonstration of the Trust Values
• Sensitive and compassionate nature

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).

Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is committed to equality and value diversity, and we are committed to inclusion for all of our staff.