Anatomical Pathology Technician

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust; Taunton; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job description

Job summary

We are looking for an Anatomical Pathology Technician to join our Mortuary teams across Musgrove Park and Yeovil District Hospital.

We are two small, dedicated teams with a passion for offering the best service to our patients, their families and our colleagues and partners across the Trusts and beyond.

As an Anatomical Pathology Technician, the post holder is responsible for performing a wide range of technical/scientific procedures to aid pathologists and clinicians ascertain a cause of death, identify outstanding clinical issues, and identify the effects of treatment. This will include all administrative duties.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will be expected to uphold the professional standards required by the Voluntary Registration Council and the Department of Health and provide evidence of Continued Professional Development (CPD). They must also have knowledge of the standards required by other relevant professional and legislative bodies. Professional registration with the science council would be an advantage.

The post holder will be expected to provide a high-quality mortuary service for the consultant staff and H M Coroner.

The post holder is expected to discharge technical duties either working alone or as part of a small team and will be expected to participate in a rostered 24hr 7day a week on-call service. This will involve working unsociable hours and lone working.

The post holder is expected to interpret and apply clinical judgement in respect of risk assessment via classification procedures (admission). In addition, the post holder will also be involved in the training and development of more junior staff, particularly trainees, and will provide technical advice to other users of the mortuary facilities including the Coroner, police, funeral profession, bereaved families, and other medical professionals.

To liaise on a day-to-day basis with all other relevant staff to ensure the Mortuary maintains a high standard of quality.

To be aware of the "well being" of less qualified staff and visitors.

About us

At Somerset NHS Foundation Trust, we're committed to supporting our employees with a range of benefits designed to enhance your professional and personal life. We offer:

• Flexible working options to help you balance work and life
• NHS pension scheme for long-term financial security
• Generous annual leave allowance to recharge and relax
• A strong focus on career development to help you grow and achieve your potential

Additionally, you'll gain access to our Blue Light Card, unlocking exclusive discounts on shopping, dining, and leisure activities, as well as NHS-specific perks to support you both inside and outside of work.

We are proud to foster a diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, and we encourage applications from all backgrounds.

Why Somerset? Somerset offers the perfect blend of idyllic countryside, outstanding areas of natural beauty, and breathtaking coastlines, with vibrant cities like Bristol, Bath, and Exeter just a short drive away - and only two hours to London.

The region is home to excellent educational facilities, and with affordable housing compared to other parts of the country, it's a great place to build both your career and your future.

Somerset truly has it all - the peaceful countryside and cosmopolitan city life, with something for everyone to enjoy.

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Undertake work in the main post-mortem rooms prioritising work and supervising unqualified staff when requested and as appropriate.
2. Undertake work in all other areas of the mortuary service as and when required.
3. Undertake all duties related to the admission and safe storage of bodies for post-mortem or transfer to funeral directors or forensic facilities.
4. Undertake the appropriate preparation of the post-mortem rooms for both general and specialist post-mortem sessions ensuring that appropriate instruments, materials, and equipment are available.
5. Prepare bodies for post-mortem examination in line with service policy.
6. Assist the pathologist at general, paediatric, and high-risk post-mortem examinations.
7. Undertake the evisceration of the deceased as determined by the pathologist and local protocols.
8. Undertake the reconstruction of the body following post-mortem examination to the appropriate standard and employ more detailed reconstruction techniques when required.
9. Dissection and reconstruction including suturing of bodies, scalpel use, suturing for facial reconstruction to enable relatives the opportunity to view.
10. Undertake the collection, packaging, and labelling of samples for histology, toxicology, and microbiology.
11. Safely handle blood, urine, faeces, other body tissue/fluids, and hazardous chemicals.
12. Organise and regularly undertake the transport of specimens to the appropriate laboratory.
13. Undertake duties ensuring that mortuary hygiene routines are maintained to a high standard in line with health and safety guidance and local protocols.
14. Provide technical assistance and advice to the police and funeral directors during and following the admission to the mortuary of a community death.
15. Perform appropriate checks to ensure that post-mortem consent forms, necropsy requests, donor consents, etc. are completed correctly and take the appropriate corrective action.
16. Ensure that implants (i.e. pacemakers, defibrillators) are safely deactivated and removed from all patients prior to cremation in line with service, trust, and statutory requirements.
17. Undertake and conduct external examinations and record findings.
18. Conduct formal IDs of the deceased for the Police/Coroners officers.
19. Supervise the work and monitor performance of trainees and more junior staff in the procedures for which the post holder is responsible.
20. Assist in the training of junior staff in processes and procedures, as agreed with the manager.
21. Assist and deputise for the Manager and/or senior APT as required.
22. Comply with local and national policies for the safe, secure, and confidential processing and storage of patient and other mortuary information.
23. Use departmental computer systems according to the authorised protocols including data input, result recall, and audit trials. This will include extensive use of service-specific spreadsheets and databases.
24. Maintain the integrity and accuracy of departmental and trust databases and records.
25. Provide approved departmental information and advice to other healthcare professionals, police, funeral profession, and the public and refer on to the supervisor or service manager requests for information outside their area of responsibility.
26. Undertake the completion of admission forms, the Mortuary Register, and other relevant documentation.
27. Understand and facilitate the completion of a range of legal documentation associated with a death in the United Kingdom and the requirements for sending the deceased abroad.
28. Actively participate in clinical and internal audits as necessary.
29. Dress, undress, lift, manoeuvre bodies using a body hoist/without aids.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Level 3 Diploma in Healthcare Science (Anatomical Pathology Technology)

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of a good standard of Literacy / English language skills
• Ability to work to specified procedures and deadlines
• Manual handling and the ability to safely handle loads

Desirable

• Used to working on call
• Bereavement skills
• Experience of forensic, high risk, and other specialist PM techniques

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

Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Address

Musgrove Park Hospital

Musgrove Road

Taunton

Somerset

TA1 5DA

Employer's website