Service Lead for Mortuary and Bereavement

King's College Hospital; Greater London; Remote; GBP 56,000 - 63,000; Full time

Job summary

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Service Lead for Mortuary and Bereavement to manage postmortem services and bereavement operations across our Trust sites. The post holds NHS AfC Band 7 with a permanent, full-time contract and on-call responsibilities.

You will deputise for the Head of Service, ensure HTA compliance, oversee the mortuary and bereavement office, and lead policy/procedure development in line with HTA and national guidance.

Qualifications

• RSPH Diploma and Certificate in Anatomical Pathology Technology Level 4 required.
• RSci/CSci Accredited or AHCS registered desirable.
• Extensive postmortem/ mortuary experience and HTA knowledge.

Responsibilities

• Deputise for Head of Service and lead day-to-day mortuary operations.
• Organise postmortem provision with HTA compliance and safety.
• Oversee bereavement services, SOPs, audits and samples traceability.
• Maintain records, on-call rota, staff rotas and staff appraisals.
• Ensure cultural, religious respect and professional viewing/identification services.

Skills

Substantial skills in routine and post

Anatomical and forensic knowledge

Training and teaching skills

Experience with HTA/HTARIS

Leadership/ deputising capabilities

HTA compliance and governance

Education

RSPH Diploma and Certificate in Anatomical Pathology Technology Level 4

RSci/CSci Accredited or AHCS registered

Job description

Service Lead for Mortuary and Bereavement

NHS AfC: Band 7

Main area Mortuary & Bereavement Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Permanent Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (On call) Job ref 213-Division-A-8395119

Employer King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site Princess Royal University Hospital Town Orpington Salary £55,524 - £62,652 per annum, including high cost allowance Salary period Yearly Closing 18/11/2026 23:59

King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is one of the UK’s largest and busiest teaching Trusts with a turnover of c£2.1 billion, 1.5 million patient contacts a year and more than 14,000 staff based across 5 main sites in South East London. The Trust provides a full range of local hospital services across its different sites, and specialist services from King’s College Hospital (KCH) sites at Denmark Hill in Camberwell and at the Princess Royal University Hospital (PRUH) site in the London Borough of Bromley.

We encourage all our staff to have a healthy work/life balance. In doing so, you can apply for flexible working from the beginning of your employment. We offer a range of options which are designed to suit different circumstances and priorities in line with service requirements.

To provide a professional, proactive and sensitive service to bereaved relatives, whilst ensuring the Trust’s statutory obligations are fulfilled. To take responsibility in continuously review practice and develop policies which incorporate national guidance and Human Tissue Authority Legislation. To work closely with other key professionals both within and outside the Trust in order to meet individual needs. To promote an awareness of bereavement issue within a multi faith, multi-cultural environment.

Main duties of the job

• To deputise for the Head of Service
• Organise and participate in routine and specialise postmortem provision and always ensuring HTA compliance.
• Overseeing the day to day running of the mortuary and bereavement office
• To work with the Head of Service in ensuring that all SOPs, risk assessments and audits are undertaken and updated as in line with departmental, Trust and HTA policies.
• To ensure robust traceability of all samples and decease
• Maintain cleaning/disinfection/maintenance of the department, ensuring the creation and maintaining of cleaning and maintenance records.
• Participate in on call service rota.

Working for our organisation

The Trust provides a full range of local and specialist services across its five sites. In June 2026, we launched our new strategy for 2026-31. Our vision is to transform healthcare, and we have agreed six strategic ambitions to help us improve care for patients, and the working lives of our staff.

Our six strategic ambitions are deliveringhigh-quality patient care; creating a great place to work; leading pioneering research, innovation and education; building strong and successful partnerships; providing timely and efficient care; and ensuring long-term financial sustainability.

We have also agreed four new organisational values – Caring, Collaborative, Inclusive, Innovative – and these underpin everything we do, and how our teams interact with the patients under our care.

We are at a pivotal point in our history and we require individuals who are ready to join a highly professional team and make a real, lasting difference to our patients and our people.

King’s is committed to delivering Sustainable Healthcare for All via our Green Plan. In line with national Greener NHS ambitions, we have set net zero carbon targets of 2040 for our NHS Carbon Footprint and 2045 for our NHS Carbon Footprint Plus. Everyone’s contribution is required in order to meet the goals set out in our Green Plan and we encourage all staff to work responsibly, minimising their contributions to the Trust’s carbon emissions, waste and pollution wherever possible.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To deputise for the Head of Service
• Organise and participate in routine and specialised postmortem provision ensuring HTA compliance at all times.
• Organise and participate in all other aspects of mortuary and bereavement services ensuring the effective, professional, cost-effective service.
• Overseeing the day to day running of the mortuary and bereavement office.
• To manage the bereavement supervisor and ensure the smooth running of the service in accordance with KCH guidelines and recommendations.
• Liaison with external agencies including the coroner’s office, Police, GP’s, Treasury Solicitors, councils and financial institutions.
• Ensure efficient and professional liaison with clinical, nursing and clerical staff and all other Trust staff
• To work with the Head of Service in ensuring that all SOPs, risk assessments and audits are undertaken and updated as in line with departmental, Trust and HTA policies.
• To ensure there is a robust system in place for the sensitive disposal of POC’s, ensuring compliance with Trust policy and national guidelines.
• To ensure all organs, tissue, blood and other samples are appropriately labelled, recorded and tracked and disposal records maintained.
• To take a leading role in Health and Safety ensuring safe and appropriate working practises within the department.
• Undertake staff appraisals for all levels of APTs and bereavement supervisor.
• Ensure the department provides a sensitive and professional viewing and identification service to the bereaved.
• To support the Head of Service in the production of staff rotas covering post mortem provision, emergency on call, annual leave etc.
• Maintain cleaning/disinfection/maintenance of the department, ensuring the creation and maintaining of cleaning and maintenance records.
• Ensure the maintenance of appropriate records within the department – mortuary register, Eden, equipment servicing, fridge/freezer temperatures, cleaning etc, ensuring compliance with HTA and codes of practice and standards.
• Participate in on call service rota.
• Ensure cultural and religious beliefs are respected and complied with at all times.
• Participate in the future development plans of Mortuary and Bereavement services

Person specification

Qualifications

• RSPH Diploma and Certificate in Anatomical Pathology Technology Level 4 Qualification
• RSci/CSci Accredited or AHCS registered

Skills

• Substantial skills in routine and specialised post mortems
• Anatomical and Forensic Knowledge
• A strong sense of personal and team accountability coupled to a clear understanding of the boundaries around delegated authority
• Training and teaching skills
• Experience of reporting and managing HTARIS

Experience

• Excellent knowledge of clinical governance, HTA and Health and Safety legislation
• Experience of working with bereavement services
• Be able to deal with the physical and emotional aspects of work in the mortuary and bereavement services

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Relying too much on AI can negatively impact your chances of success because automatically generated answers:

• might not be specific or relevant enough to address the criteria in the recruitment profile
• often seem generic and not personalised enough – an AI response won’t show your unique voice and perspective
• could misrepresent information about you, such as your qualifications, skills and experience

We monitor applications for any behaviour that could create an unfair advantage, and we check all references carefully. You are likely to be tested on your experience at interview, so be honest and make sure all the information in your application is correct.

King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Annual Reports and Other Corporate Publications

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King's College Hospital is part of King's Health Partners Academic Health Sciences Centre (AHSC), a pioneering collaboration between King's College London, and Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trusts.

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Application numbers

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. On occasions, we may close a vacancy early due to a high number of applications being received. You are advised to submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.