Bereavement Support Officer

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 22,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and well-being initiatives

Staff benefits

Personal and professional development

Job summary

North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Bereavement Support Officer to join the Mortuary and Bereavement team. The role focuses on compassionate support for relatives of the deceased and ensuring guidance through the legal processes after death.

Based at North Tees, with potential to work across both hospital sites to meet service demand, the post emphasizes high empathy and professional conduct in a challenging but supportive environment.

Qualifications

• Experience dealing with bereaved people or similar high-empathy scenarios.

Responsibilities

• Provide practical advice to relatives after death and guide them through legal processes.
• Coordinate arrangements for hospital funerals as required and support relatives during viewing of the deceased.
• Act as a direct point of contact for relatives, healthcare professionals, Coroners’ staff and registration services with compassionate communication.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Empathy

Patient/family support

Job description

• Advert will close early once sufficient number of applications is reached*
• Previous applicants need not apply **

A vacancy exists for a Bereavement Support Officer (BSO) to work within the Mortuary and Bereavement team at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust.

We are looking for an enthusiastic person with good interpersonal and communication skills.

Previous experience in dealing with bereaved people or working in situations where there has been a high empathy factor is required.

The post is 37.5 hours per week. At present these hours are worked in office hours Monday to Friday , although this may be subject to change as the service develops.

This post is pivotal in ensuring a professional, compassionate, and high-quality service for relatives of the deceased is delivered in accordance with national legislation and Trust policy.

Bereavement Support Officers offer practical advice after death to relatives/friends of the deceased. They support bereaved relatives and guide them with the legal processes following a death, arrange hospital funerals as required and support friends during viewing of the deceased.

As a direct point of contact for relatives, healthcare professionals, Coroners’ staff, Medical Examiner staff and registration services, the post holder will be expected to have the ability to engage tactfully but clearly in a supportive and caring manner.

Although based at North Tees, the role may require working across both hospital sites to meet service demand.

The role is varied and can be emotionally challenging at times however full support is offered.

South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust now form University Hospitals Tees and as such you may be required to work at any site across both Trusts.

At North Tees & Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, we want our organisation to be the best place to work with the right staff, in the right roles, at the right time, to ensure we deliver exceptional patient care and experience.

• We will support staff through providing an inclusive and supportive workplace with health and well-being initiatives, staff benefits and opportunities for personal and professional development.

We recruit for values and "Together we are North Tees & Hartlepool".

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Danielle Mead Job title: Manager Email address: [e-mail] Telephone number: 01642 624123