Bereavement Officer

Company Description

Working as a partnership, both Isle of Wight NHS Trust and Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust have a shared vision for excellence in care for our patients and communities; with a set of strategic aims underpinning how we will achieve this.

The single corporate service is delivered across both organisations. You may be based at either IWT or PHU and individuals may be required to undertake business travel between sites. For leaders managing staff across multi‑site locations, you will need to be visible and provide in‑person leadership. The arrangements and frequency will be agreed locally.

NHS Band 3 Salary: £25,760 – £27,476 per annum

Hours Per Week: full time 37.5

Contract Type:
Permanent

‘Should this post receive a high number of applications, this role may close early.’

We are seeking a compassionate and professional individual to join our Bereavement Services team in a key administrative role supporting bereaved families during a difficult time. This post is primarily office‑based, with a significant proportion of the work undertaken via telephone contact with relatives, staff, and external organisations, requiring a high level of sensitivity and professionalism.

The post holder will play a vital role in ensuring a responsive, efficient, and high‑quality bereavement service. Working closely with the Bereavement Services Manager, you will support liaison with Medical Examiner Officers (MEOs) in their role supporting the Medical Examiners. You will act as a key point of contact for relatives and external agencies, helping to ensure a smooth and respectful bereavement process.

Please note, this role is not a counselling role and is purely administrative to support the families through the process of what happens following a death.

• Act as the first point of contact for relatives of deceased patients, responding to enquiries with sensitivity, empathy, and professionalism.
• Provide clear guidance and support to colleagues across the Trust, Medical Examiners, funeral directors, crematoria, registrars, and members of the public.
• Deliver a compassionate and timely service to ensure bereaved families are fully supported throughout the process.
• Communicate effectively in situations that may involve complex or sensitive discussions, including where there may be barriers to understanding.
• Respond to routine queries and concerns, identifying appropriate solutions within defined protocols.
• Liaise regularly with medical staff across Portsmouth Hospitals University NHS Trust to ensure all legal documentation is completed accurately and promptly, in line with relatives’ wishes for burial or cremation.

• Work in accordance with departmental and Trust policies and procedures, escalating to the Bereavement Services Manager where appropriate.
• Contribute to the development and continuous improvement of departmental protocols and processes.
• Support the effective and efficient running of the Bereavement Service within agreed standards and boundaries.
• Plan and organise day‑to‑day activities to ensure a responsive and coordinated service.

• Compassionate, respectful, and emotionally intelligent.
• Professional and able to communicate to a high standard with sensitivity and clarity.
• Experience and organised administrator and able to manage a varied workload.
• Confident in liaising with both clinical and non‑clinical stakeholders.

• GCSE level of education or equivalent.
• Secretarial skills, acquired through an NVQ 3 or equivalent experience.

• Experience of working in Healthcare/NHS.
• Demonstrable experience in an admin role with a good knowledge of office procedures.
• Experience of working in a people‑centred environment.
• Experience of working with the public.
• Commitment to personal and professional development.
• Experienced communicator both orally and on paper.

• Keyboard skills to RSA level 3.
• Excellent listening skills.
• Tact and diplomacy when dealing with highly sensitive issues.
• Ability to present highly sensitive information in a highly emotive situation.
• Effective interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate with…