Mortuary Officer
Job summary
Mortuary Officer - Derbyshire Pathology - Chesterfield Site
An exciting opportunity has arisen within Derbyshire Pathology for a well-organised and compassionate individual to join the Mortuary Team on a fixed-term basis.
The successful candidate will be a well organised individual toprovide administrative, reception and operational support within the Mortuary Service, ensuring the respectful admission, care and release of deceased persons.
Working as part of the Mortuary Team, the post holder will assist Anatomical Pathology Technologists and other colleagues in delivering a safe, secure and efficient service, maintaining the dignity of the deceased and supporting the needs of bereaved families, HM Coroner and Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust.
Main duties of the job
The successful candidate will be expected to show a high degree of professionalism, have a compassionate, empathetic and mature attitude and be vigilant of the strict confidentiality policy required for the post.
Applicants must have a good general education (4 GCSE's including a science) and have experience of working in a healthcare setting or similar surroundings, and/or with deceased persons. They will need to be physically fit and able to lift/manoeuvre deceased persons with and without the use of mechanical aids. There will be frequent exposure to unpleasant and distressing circumstances and dealing with deceased persons on a daily basis. They must have a good knowledge of computers, (Microsoft packages) and keyboard skills to enable data entry into hospital IT systems (training on IT systems will be given)
The successful applicant must be trustworthy, reliable and able to demonstrate strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders and be approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner. (Stakeholders include, but are not limited to, the bereaved, ward staff, clinicians, funeral directors, coroner's office, police etc.)
Closing date of applications: 15 October 2026
Interview date: 29 October 2026
About us
As a trusted organisation at the heart of our communities, we recognise the important role we can play in supporting the public, patients, our own people and local partners in achieving the best of health for the local population and the communities in which they live by providing Exceptional Care Together
Our fundamental Values of Compassion, Openness and Excellence underpin how we intend to work as a Trust and the associated behaviours are becoming embedded in all aspects of how we work.
In return we will offer:
- Development opportunities, both professional and leadership development
- On-going support from recruitment to when you join our team and beyond.
- Staff benefits including employee assistance programme, discounted gym membership, onsite fitness classes, car schemes
Key Facts:
- We see on average 4810 OP appointments a day.
- We are the 4 th busiest Trauma & Orthopaedic outpatients department in England - an average of 2077 per week.
- An average of 1115 patients are seen in A&Es across our network every day - 3rd largest in the country.
- Our hospitals admit an average of 195 emergency patients daily.
- Last year we undertook almost 33,700 planned surgical operations in our 57 operating theatres.
- We are one of only 7 Trusts nationally with more than 50 operating theatres.
- We carry out more than 140 elective procedures each working day.
- UHDB is a research active University Hospital with a large and varied portfolio of clinical trials and research opportunities for all staff.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job description and Person Specification. To apply please click APPLY FOR THIS JOB this link will take you to the TRAC Recruitment Site. You will need to register if you do not already have an account.
UHDB is committed to fair and transparent recruitment. We welcome authentic applications that reflect your own skills, experience and motivations for the role. While we understand that candidates may use AI tools for grammar, formatting or accessibility purposes, applications that appear to be substantially AIgenerated may be subject to additional review. If this applies to your submission, we will let you know and may ask for clarification. Please ensure your application accurately represents your experience and is written in your own words.
Following the recent update on UK immigration policy for those on a Health and Care Visa or Skilled Worker Visa, please click on the link to check your eligibility before applying for this post as we may be unable to provide sponsorshipSkilled worker: Health and Care Visa | NHS Employers
Important visa information: Due to UK Home Office immigration rule changes effective from 22 July 2025, applicants sponsored under Occupation Code 6131 (Nursing Auxiliaries and Assistants) may not be eligible to bring dependants under the Skilled Worker route if their Certificate of Sponsorship is issued on or after this date. Applicants are responsible for understanding how these rules apply to their individual circumstances. The Trust cannot provide immigration advice. Further information is available on the Skilled Worker visa: Your partner and children - GOV.UK
Your application (for shortlisting purposes) is assessed based on the Person Specification in the job advert (below).
Person Specification
Education
- Good basic general education, including science (4 x GCSE grade C or above - including a science)
- Basic Computer / IT qualification (Microsoft applications)
Experience & Knowledge
- Experience of working with people in sensitive and emotional situations.
- Experience of working in a healthcare setting with multi-disciplinary teams across organisational boundaries.
- A commitment to life-long learning and undertaking personal development opportunities.
- Knowledge of the special requirements of various faith groups and respect for equality and diversity of issues around formalities following a death.
Skills & Ability
- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating the ability to communicate in difficult and emotional situations with empathy and professionalism with all stakeholders.
- Ability to work as part of a team and organise fluctuating workload around competing priorities.
- Keyboard skills
- Good communication and organisational skills
- Ability to work methodically
- Competent in the use of NHS IT software systems and handling sensitive personal identifiable data.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills
- Adaptable/flexible
- Proactive and self-motivated
- Approachable and supportive to all levels of staff and bereaved families in a non-judgemental and discreet manner.
- Ability to maintain a calm manner in a range of challenging and emotive circumstances.
- Ability to communicate with other professional groups in the Trust
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
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Address
Chesterfield Royal Hospital
Chesterfield Road, Calow
Chesterfield
S44 5BL
United Kingdom
Employer's website
https://www.uhdb.nhs.uk/