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Job summary

Main area
Pathology
Grade
NHS AfC: Band 4
Contract
Permanent
Hours
Full time - 37.5 hours per week
Job ref
249-7578462
Employer
Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Employer type
NHS
Site
Great Western Hospital
Town
Swindon
Salary
£24,937 - £30,162 per annum pro rata
Salary period
Yearly
Closing
27/11/2025 23:59

Employer heading

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust logo

Anatomical Pathology Technologist

NHS AfC: Band 4

Great Western Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is a unique organisation, serving as the sole integrated provider in the Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire system. Our scope extends beyond boundaries as we oversee adult community services in Swindon and provide acute care from the Great Western Hospital. 

Our 5,500 staff have 1.2m patient contacts a year, with 13,000 operations carried out in our Theatres, around 4,000 babies born, and our emergency attendances are now well over 100,000 per year. Those numbers only tell part of our story about what an exciting time it is to join Great Western Hospitals.

We are cultivating a culture that fosters our ambitions, prioritising equality, diversion, inclusion, wellbeing, and leadership. We aim to create an environment where every member of our team can truly thrive.

The Trust is a Disability Confident Employer; all applicants who have a disability can opt to be considered under the guaranteed interview scheme, which means that, providing they meet the minimum essential criteria for the post, they will be offered an interview. We are also proudly accredited as a Veteran Aware organisation and have signed The Armed Forces Covenant.

If we receive a high volume of applications, we may close adverts prior to the published closing date. Therefore, we advise you to complete and submit your application as soon as possible.

Job overview

An exciting job opportunity has arisen at GWH Mortuary & Bereavement  Services

We are looking for a qualified Anatomical Pathology Technologist Level 3 / 4 (will consider trainee) to take the position of APT at the Mortuary and Bereavement Service within Great Western Hospital.

The post holder will form part of a multi skilled team of APT's .

The successful candidate must have a knowledge of Human Tissue Authority Regulations.

To provide a safe, secure, effective, and comprehensive service to meet the needs of the hospital, and ensure that deceased patients and their families are always treated with dignity and respect.

Required to undertake duties to assist in the delivery of the service, this will include facilitation of the completion of, Medical Certificate of Cause of Deaths (MCCD), cremation forms, free from infections certificates and other legal forms required.
Provide specialist, knowledge, expertise and sensitive information to the bereaved, external users and Trust staff, regarding the process that needs to be undertaken following a death in Trust or the community.
To arrange, prepare and facilitate all viewings and formal identifications of the patient.

Main duties of the job

To assist in delivering a robust Post Mortem service for the H M Coroner of Wiltshire and Swindon as set out in the Service Level Agreement.
To provide specialised technical expertise, by conducting the external examinations, evisceration, retaining samples, and reconstruction, whilst maintaining dignity, respect and confidentiality of the patient, complying with the Human Tissue Act and Human Tissue Authority to ensure the establishment is maintained within the scope of the licence parameters. 
To ensure the capacity of the Mortuary is maintained appropriately under the direct of the senior APT’s or Mortuary and Bereavement service Manager.
To maintain highly specialized decontamination procedures within the department to ensure a safe working environment is provided.
The post holder is expected to discharge technical and non-technical duties either working alone or as part of a small team. They will eventually be required to partake in the on call rota to provide a 24 hour call out service 365 days a year including public holidays.
This will include working unsocial hours and will require the post holder to undertake work outside of normal working hours when on call.

Working for our organisation

Our STAR values – Service, Teamwork, Ambition and Respect – are a golden thread running through everything we do. These values serve as a guiding principle, driving us towards our vision of delivering great joined up services to our local community. Whether at home, in the community, or within the hospital, our goal is to empower individuals to lead independent and healthier lives.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The post holder is responsible for assisting in the provision to deliver a safe, secure, effective and comprehensive dual service at the Mortuary and Bereavement Service within Great Western Hospital.

Required to undertake duties to assist in the delivery of the service, this will include facilitation of the completion of, Medical Certificate of Cause of Deaths (MCCD), free from infections certificates and other legal forms required.

Provide specialist, knowledge, expertise and sensitive information to the bereaved, external users and Trust staff, regarding the process that needs to be undertaken following a death in Trust or the community.

To arrange, prepare and facilitate all viewings and formal identifications of the patient.

To assist in delivering a robust Post Mortem service for the H M Coroner of Wiltshire and Swindon as set out in the Service Level Agreement.

Complying with the Human Tissue Act and Human Tissue Authority to ensure the establishment is maintained within the scope of the licence parameters. 

To ensure the capacity of the Mortuary is maintained appropriately under the direct of the senior APT’s or Mortuary and Bereavement service Manager.

 

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria
  • GCSE English /Math’s and Science
  • Hold Level 3 or diploma in RSPH
  • Willing to work towards RSPH level 4
  • Informed Consent HTA qualification
Desirable criteria
  • Biology, or Forensic qualification
  • Bereavement qualification
  • MEO training 26 Modles RCpath

Experience

Essential criteria
  • Experience working in a Mortuary and hold a level 3 qualification in RSPH  Experience of team working within the Mortuary, bereavement and medical examiner office.  Demonstrate an understanding of customer care when liaising with the public on the telephone, electronic and / or face to face.  Ability to communicate effectively and sensitively.  Able to explain complex medical conditions  Ability to lift and manoeuvre deceased patients  Dealing with bereaved and confrontational persons, either in person or over the telephone. Hold HTA consent Training qualification  Experience of delivering Informed Consent to bereaved and Doctors
Desirable criteria
  • Bereavement training  Working with Medical Examiner and Bereavement teams

Employer certification / accreditation badges

NHS Pastoral Care Quality AwardVeteran AwareApprenticeships logoNo smoking policyPositive about disabled peopleAge positiveDisability confident leaderInvestors in People: Goldhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/kickstart-scheme-employer-resources/kickstart-scheme-brand-guidelinesStonewall equality policy. Equality and justice for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and trans people.Step into healthArmed Forces Covenant

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Documents to download

Apply online now

Further details / informal visits contact

Name
Samantha Cunningham
Job title
Service Manager
Email address
[email protected]
Telephone number
01793 604392
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