Location
St George's Hospital - Grosvenor Wing, Blackshaw Road, London

Hours
Full Time (hours to be confirmed)

Salary
£34,186 per annum

About the Role
As a Bereavement Officer at St George's University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, you will play a vital role in supporting families and hospital teams during difficult times. Your responsibilities will include displaying all new and outstanding cases on the team whiteboard to track progress in real-time, notifying the registered GP of patient deaths, and identifying doctors to complete necessary paperwork. You will advocate for rapid release faith requests, ensuring religious urgency is highlighted to the Medical Examiner and Mortuary teams. Assisting doctors in accurately completing the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is a key priority to ensure legal compliance and prevent delays for grieving families.

You will proactively contact next of kin if they have not reached out within 48 hours of a death, monitor cases referred to the Coroner, and manage ad hoc repatriation requirements. Issuing release forms to funeral directors and monitoring the Long Stay List to maintain safe mortuary capacity are also essential duties. You will escort families to the mortuary when needed and coordinate pregnancy loss funeral services, offering free funerals for losses between 16-24 weeks in liaison with families, chaplaincy, and funeral directors.

Additional responsibilities include processing deceased patients’ property, ensuring items are checked and logged while refusing medication, soiled clothing, or valuables. You will prepare and distribute bereavement booklets for wards, including staff surveys and freepost envelopes, and refer cases to Public Health or Wandsworth Council when no next of kin can take responsibility.

Experience
Previous experience in a healthcare, administrative, or bereavement support role is desirable but not essential. A compassionate and organized approach is critical.

About you
You will be empathetic, professional, and able to work sensitively with bereaved families and hospital staff. Strong communication and organizational skills are essential, along with the ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently and maintain accuracy under pressure.

Qualifications
No specific qualifications are required; however, relevant experience or training in bereavement support, healthcare administration, or related fields will be advantageous.