Mortuary Assistant
At a glance
- Band
- Band 3
- Contract
- Permanent
- Pattern
- Part-time
- Hours / week
- 34
- Posted
- 20/08/2026
- Closes
- 03/09/2026
Sponsorship verdict
This contract type is not eligible for Skilled Worker sponsorship.
NHS Trusts cannot issue a Certificate of Sponsorship for part-time, bank, locum, zero-hours, job-share or short fixed-term (under 12 months) contracts under current Home Office rules. This applies even when the wider Trust holds a Skilled Worker licence.
Role summary
The Mortuary Assistant provides essential support to the Mortuary team, handling the receipt, storage, and care of deceased patients. This involves preparing patients for viewing and release to funeral directors, ensuring all procedures are carried out with dignity, compassion, and adherence to policies. The role requires a sensitive and professional approach, acknowledging the emotional nature of the environment. It also includes maintaining a clean working environment and assisting with specimen dispatch.
Essential criteria
- 5 GCSE's Grade including English & Maths Grade 5-9
- Ability to work as part of a team
Desirable criteria
- Experience of working within hospital / funeral directors / mortuary environment
- Can use MS Outlook; Excel and Word
- Good communication skills
- Can work under pressure
- Strong disposition and not squeamish - work in difficult environment / emotive conditions
- Motivated to learn new skills
- Deal with multiple task and deadlines
- Understanding of care provided within mortuary environment
- Basic knowledge of Health & Safety
- Understanding of Patient confidentiality
- Additional
- Good time keeper
- Physically fit to enable manual handling of varying size patients
- Flexible approach to work including out of hours (on call rota)
- Driving licence and access to vehicle
- 5 GCSE's Grade including English & Maths Grade 5-9
- Ability to work as part of a team
- Experience of working within hospital / funeral directors / mortuary environment
- Can use MS Outlook; Excel and Word
- Good communication skills
- Can work under pressure
- Strong disposition and not squeamish - work in difficult environment / emotive conditions
- Motivated to learn new skills
- Deal with multiple task and deadlines
- Understanding of care provided within mortuary environment
- Basic knowledge of Health & Safety
- Understanding of Patient confidentiality
- Additional
- Good time keeper
- Physically fit to enable manual handling of varying size patients
- Flexible approach to work including out of hours (on call rota)
- Driving licence and access to vehicle
Useful to know
Agenda for Change 2024/25 pays Band 3 at £24,625 – £25,674 a year, across England.
This advert: £25,760 – £27,476 — outside the standard scale; check for HCAS/London weighting.
Posted 10d ago · Closes in 5d
Plenty of time to prepare a strong application.
Full advert · preview
Job summary
The Mortuary Assistant will provide essential support to the Mortuary team in the receipt, storage, and care of deceased patients. The post holder will assist with the preparation of deceased patients for viewing, and release to funeral directors, ensuring that all procedures are carried out with dignity, compassion, and in accordance with, Mortuary and Trust policies, adhering to infection control standards. The role requires a sensitive, professional approach at all times, acknowledging the emotional nature of the environment.
Main duties of the job
Once trained assist with
? Receive and correctly identify deceased patients arriving at the mortuary from both the hospital and external sources, ensuring all documentation is accurate and complete.
? Maintain the correct storage of deceased patients in refrigerated units, always ensuring dignity and security.
? Prepare deceased patients for viewing by next of kin, ensuring presentation is sensitive, respectful, and meets agreed standards.
? Coordinate the release of deceased patients to funeral directors and other authorised parties, completing all required documentation.
? Maintain a clean, safe, and tidy working environment throughout the mortuary, including decontamination of equipment and surfaces following use.
? Assist with the dispatch of histological and toxicological specimens in accordance with
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