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Detailed job description and main responsibilities

KEY DUTIES

• Ensure all duties are carried out in compliance with the Human tissue authority (HTA) codes of practice.
• Carry out procedures with regards to receipt, storage and release of the deceased completing associated documentation in compliance with current policies.
• Ensure all unidentified deceased are appropriately identifiable once identity has been established.
• Liaise with the Trust Bereavement Officers, assisting them in the functions of the service dealing with bereaved families.
• Assist, the Coroners Officers and carry out their instructions with regards to all deceased bodies in their remit.
• To assist with hospital post-mortems on the instruction of the Consultant Histopathologists or other medical staff.
• To assist with post-mortems carried out at the instruction of H M Coroner under the arrangements made with Mersey & West Lancashire Teaching Hospital.
• To perform, under supervision of the Consultant Pathologist, relevant post-mortem procedures on patients which are in an advanced state of mechanical disruption or decomposition/infestation.
• To prepare the deceased for viewing in a sensitive and respectful manner demonstrating awareness of religious requirements subject to individual risk assessment
• Carry out surgical evisceration, and patient reconstruction processes in the post-mortem suite in accordance with mortuary policies to enable identification for Police, viewings for relatives and dignified collection from funeral directors.
• Ensure effective reconstruction and cosmetic presentation of bodies following extreme trauma e.g. Road traffic accident, suicide and persons hit by trains etc.
• Perform invisceration of organs and suturing of bodies at the request of the Consultant Histopathologist or other medical staff on hospital and Coroners post-mortems.
• Ensure that all tissues taken during postmortem for histological diagnosis are taken according to consent information provided by the coroner.
• Remove cardiac implants when required by the hospital and clean them prior to disposal.
• Liaise with the tissue bank teams and assist in the harvest of tissues in line with current Trust agreements, protocols, and consent.
• Liaise with the Bereavement Office and funeral directors in respect of sensitive disposal of fetal remains in line with departmental and Trust policies.
• To assist in the system for the receipt, handling, and disposal of Products of Conception from the Gynae and Midwifery Services at ODGH
• Ensure that high standards of cleanliness and tidiness are always maintained in the department in accordance with departmental SOPs and HSE guidelines.
• To maintain equipment on a day-to-day basis in accordance with policies/procedures and in accordance with manufacturer’s guidelines
• Report equipment fault or incidents to the Mortuary manager or in his/her absence the Cellular Pathology manager
• Maintain and control adequate supplies of instruments, stores, linen, and consumables.
• To ensure that suitable personal protective clothing and equipment is available for staff and visitors.
• Keep up to date with relevant scientific information, trends, and developments to assist in the maintenance and development of mortuary procedures.
• Maintain an ongoing Professional Portfolio and an up-to-date Professional Development Plan.

OUT OF HOURS

Take an active role in the out of hours service of the department, duties performed:

• Home Office postmortems
• Removal of tissues for transplant
• Viewing of bodies which have a high risk of infection.
• Restoring bodies badly traumatised in preparation for viewing
• Release of bodies on religious grounds and under exceptional circumstances
• Monitor and organise transfers of bodies to offsite storage facilities and outside mortuaries when necessary, completing all necessary documentation.
• Assist in the identification with the Police of the BIDs, ensuring all correct documentation is completed.
• Any other duties that may be required by the Trust, Home Office, or H M Coroner.
• The post holder will be required to participate in the delivery of the mortuary service outside core hours. This entails contracted participation on a rotational basis in the department’s ‘on-call’ roster.

 CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

• Maintain and foster the highest possible standards of technical work complying with Clinical Pathology Accreditation / UKAS, HTA and Health & Safety standards and regulations.
• Keep up to date with relevant scientific information, trends, and developments to assist in the maintenance and development of mortuary procedures.
• Maintain an on-going Professional Portfolio and an up-to-date Professional Development Plan.

 ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSABILITIES

• To ensure that records are kept up to date and stored safely for compliance with the standard of Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK), UKAS and the HTA.
• To comply with good mortuary practice required for the standards of Clinical Pathology Accreditation (UK), UKAS, HTA and Health & Safety guidelines.
• Assist in the collation of statistics for finance on the total number of bodies within the department with special reference to each Coroner.
• Take an active role in departmental annual appraisal, keeping records and amending job roles where necessary.
• Assist in audit within the department and when necessary, collate the statistics from the mortuary database.
• Assist in the maintenance of all equipment and instruments, recording on the maintenance logs details of maintenance visits.
• Ensure that adequate stocks of consumables and instruments are available and appropriately always stored.
• Deputise for the Mortuary Lead in their absence.

 TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES

• Participate in training any current Trainee APTs in accordance with departmental policies and SOPs.
• Assist Trainee APTs in the completion of the Royal Institutes Anatomical Pathology Logbook
• Assist APTs in further training within the department for the Diploma in Anatomical Pathology
• To attend educational and training courses as required by the departmental manager. 

LABORATORY INFORMATICS

• To comply with the local and national policies for safe, secure, and confidential processing and storage of patient and other laboratory information
• Maintain the integrity and accuracy of the laboratory databases, checking and correcting, if necessary, information input by staff
• Follow trust policies, guidelines and procedures when using the Trust wide IT system.
• To assist in the audit of data held on the laboratory IT system.

 COMMUNICATION

• To communicate with trust personnel, funeral directors, coroner’s office, police officers, religious ministers, and the public in an effective manner while demonstrating an understanding of individual requirements e.g. religious rites
• To ensure that relatives are supported during the viewing process, offered advice if requested, and always treated with courtesy and consideration.

 HEALTH AND SAFETY

• Always comply with the Trust Health and Safety Policy and the Laboratory Health and Safety Policy.
• The role will involve frequent exposure to unpleasant body fluids and tissue that are potentially infective with pathogenic micro-organisms/viruses (including blood borne viral infections e.g. Hepatitis, HIV, nvCJD, TB).
• Exposure to harmful chemicals, including carcinogens, will be dealt with and adhered to under the COSHH regulations.
• Participate in internal and external safety audits.
• Attend mandatory and statutory, fire, lifting and handling and health and safety training.
• All staff have a responsibility to report any risks, clinical and non-clinical incidents promptly and to co-operate with any investigations undertaken.