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Job summary

Main area
Administrative
Grade
Band 4
Contract
12 months (Secondment/Fixed Term)
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday - Cross site working RDH/QHB)
Job ref
320-TWS-2159
Employer
University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Royal Derby Hospital
Town
Derby
Salary
£27,485 - £30,162 pro rata pa
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
02/07/2026 23:59
Interview date
16/07/2026

Employer heading

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust logo

Bereavement Officer

Band 4

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.

With over 14,000 members of staff you can expect huge variety and new opportunities every day! Our staff go above and beyond and take pride in caring for our patients.

University Hospitals of Derby and Burton NHS Foundation Trust is fully committed to promoting inclusion, equality, diversity and human rights in employment and delivery of its services.  The Trust is committed to providing an environment where all employees, patients, carers and visitors experience equality of opportunity by means of understanding and appreciating the value of diversity.

As a Trust we promote an inclusive environment and welcome applications from a diverse pool of talent and backgrounds.  All individuals are valued and given every opportunity to succeed based on merit.

The Trust actively encourages applications from members of our Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities. These groups are under-represented in our organisation, and it’s important to us that our workforce reflects the diversity of our communities as much as possible.

Armed Forces and Disability Confident guaranteed interview scheme

To further support the pledges in the Armed Forces Covenant and to make a positive contribution to support ex-armed forces personnel (veterans) make the transition to civilian life, the Trust has introduced a Guaranteed Interview Scheme for veterans who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification, to help them overcome barriers to find civilian employment. The scheme will operate for all external recruitment.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer and committed to both employing and retaining people with disabilities.  This commitment is to guarantee an interview for any candidate that has disclosed a disability under the Equality Act 2010 and who meets the essential criteria set out in the person specification.  Reasonable adjustments under the Equality Act 2010 will be considered upon request.

if you are blind or visually impaired and require application material in an alternative format- such as Braille, large print, audio or accessible electronic formats or  you require support/adjustments with your application please contact the recruitment team on  01332 788466

Join us and help make a real difference to our Trust.

Here’s more about the role and what we’re looking for; 

Job overview

We are looking to recruit a Bereavement Officer to join the  Bereavement Team. This will be based at the Queens Hospital  Burton  but with regular cross-site working between there and The Royal Derby Hospital. 

We're looking to recruit a Bereavement Officer to support the Senior Bereavement Officer to help facilitate the smooth and efficient running of the Bereavement office. They will provide cover for the Senior Bereavement Officer during any period of absence.

You will have an excellent communication and organisational skills which will have been obtained in your work in previous administrative roles. 

You will be providing a professional, sensitive and compassionate service, dealing with bereaved relatives and be exposed to distressing and emotive situations.   

The role will require working closely with clinical and non-clinical staff, the Registrar, chaplaincy service, Coroner’s office as well as the Medical Examiner and funeral directors.  Advanced IT and literacy skills and experience of using a range of IT applications will be required.

This post is a Fixed term/Secondment due to time limited funding.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will ensure that they are providing a professional, compassionate and high-quality service for relatives of the deceased patients in accordance with national legislation and Trust policies and to ensure newly bereaved families understand all appropriate procedures.

They post-holder will also be responsible for undertaking administrative duties associated with the completion of medical (death certificates) in liaison with stakeholders.  They will be responsible for the day to day running of the Eye Donation Service, including making the initial approach to bereaved families of potential donors.

They will need to ensure that doctors complete the appropriate legal documentation promptly and accurately and provide advice, support and information to facilitate this.

You will be required to establish and maintain partnership working with agencies, such as the Registrar Service, Coroner’s office, funeral directors, as well as internal services including chaplaincy, mortuary staff, clinical and non-clinical staff. Whilst the role will be based at Queen's Hospital Burton, there will be requirement to work at the Royal Derby Hospital office on a relatively regular basis as the service requires.  It will initially start on a Monday to Friday basis, with an expectation of weekend and Bank Holiday cover on a rota basis in the near future.

 

Closing date of applications: 02 July2026

Interview date: 16 July 2026

Working for our organisation

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 4th 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.

Detailed job description and main 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 AI‑generated 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 sponsorship Impacts of the changes to the UK immigration policy | NHS Employers

If you are considering applying for an internal secondment, please ensure you have discussed this with your line manager and obtained their support prior to submitting your application.

Please be aware that there is no guarantee that you will be released from your substantive post, so you should seek approval before applying as you are applying or a Secondment.

If you have any questions or require further guidance, please contact the Recruitment Team.

Person specification

Education, Training and Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • Business Administration qualification or equivalent experience
  • Advanced level of IT literacy with experience of using a range of IT applications.

Experience & Knowledge

Essential criteria
  • Experience of working within a team.
Desirable criteria
  • Experience of working in a healthcare setting.

Skills and Ability

Essential criteria
  • Excellent organisational skills due to fast-pace and frequently changing priorities of tasks in the department.
  • Ability to concentrate with multiple interruptions and changing tasks.

Communications and interpersonal skills

Essential criteria
  • Excellent verbal and written communication and interpersonal skills.
  • Advanced communication skills in handling highly emotive and distressing situations.
  • Ensure effective partnerships with consultants, ward staff, clinical and non-clinical colleagues.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

No smoking policyArmed Forces Covenant Gold AwardMindful employer.  Being positive about mental health.Disability confident employerCare Leaver CovenantStep into healthArmed Forces CovenantCareLeaver CovenantAge Friendly EmployerNational Preceptorship for Nursing Quality Mark 2024

Applicant requirements

The postholder will have access to vulnerable people in the course of their normal duties and as such this post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Leah Belmore
Job title
Senior Bereavement Officer UHDB
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01332 785557
Additional information

We’d love to hear from you! If you have any questions about the role, team, or working environment, feel free to get in touch for an informal chat. Speaking with us before applying is completely optional, but it can help you decide if this opportunity is the right fit for you.

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