RSPH Level 2 Certificate Course
Level 2 certificate in Mortuary Support for Mortuary Workers
(Funeral Service Operatives and Funeral Directors)
Total Qualification Time (TQT) 130 hours
Objective
There is a service requirement for a formal standardised level 2 qualification for supporting staff working in mortuary environments and in 2024 the Royal Society of Public Health (RSPH) announced the new national qualification for all mortuary support staff - the Level 2 Certificate in mortuary support workers.
The objective of this qualification is to support Mortuary Workers operating in a funeral services setting, to develop an understanding of the skills and knowledge required to support the safe and effective operation of a mortuary setting. This includes understanding the scope and importance of their role in areas such as infection control, health and safety, teamwork and communication, and the preparation and operation of a mortuary setting.
This qualification has been developed by the Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) along the National Association of Funeral Directors and aims to further develop this occupational group by:
• Ensuring best practice, skills and knowledge are up to date and consistent across all mortuary settings.
• Demonstrating they carry out their responsibilities safely, and with care and consideration.
• Developing a wider awareness and scope of practice and sharing of experience.
• Provides access to CPD (continuous professional development) that is so important for all stages within a career.
This qualification is the first important step to combining relevance of the Funeral Director Code of Practice, underpinned by quality-managed ways of working and standardised training within a funeral service setting.
Description
This training is designed for funeral service operatives; funeral assistants and funeral directors who have a unique and varied role in the provision of funeral service following notification that death has occurred. They are a first point of contact for the bereaved at the point of the first call and when undertaking removal of the deceased from home premises. This occupational group also liaise with coroners/ procurator fiscal personnel, mortuary and bereavement personnel and the police during transfer and care of the deceased.
They are responsible for the care of the deceased and for assisting the bereaved whilst on funeral premises, as well as undertaking personal care of the deceased and aiding the bereaved during visitation. Funeral service employees are in attendance during funeral services to ensure safe transfer of the deceased to the crematorium or burial ground and to assist with care of the bereaved during the funeral, which can be an emotive time for families and friends. It is therefore essential that such key staff are trained and competent in all associated procedures.
Duration and Assessment
This training will normally be completed over a period of 9 months via online learning that requires completion of 3 integrated theory / work based units covering operational, H&S, infection control and governance learning outcomes relating to the mortuary environment.
Syllabus modules:
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Unit FD2.1: Health and Safety and Infection Control for Funeral Service Mortuary Workers
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Assessment method: MCQ exam
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Unit FD2.2: Effective Communication and Teamwork for Funeral Service Mortuary Workers
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Assessment method: Work-based assignment
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Unit FD2.3: Preparation and Operation of a Mortuary for Funeral Service Mortuary Workers
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Assessment method: Work-based assignment
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The work-based assignments are marked by the North Tees centre, examinations are marked independently by the RSPH:
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1 x MCQ exam on:
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Mortuary Health and Safety / Basic Microbiology and infection control
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3 x work-based assignments on:
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Preparation and operation of a mortuary
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Preparing for visitation (s) of the deceased
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Effective Communication and Teamwork Skills
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There will be no formal external end point assessment or external assessor visit to local mortuaries – once the candidate has passed the x 4 assessment criteria above they will be awarded the RSPH level 2 qualification.
Course timetable
This course training will last approx. 9 months (see timetable at the bottom of this page for key specific dates this year) starting in October and ending in July each year. The candidate will be taught each unit module separately (starting at unit 1 and finishing with unit 3) and training will also include a revision session for each unit to prepare for the final exam / assignment.
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Online teachings session days take place on a Friday (10am to 4:30pm)
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Online revision sessions take place on a Wednesday (10am to 12:30pm)
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The exam will take place on a Thursday afternoon from 2pm (online in your local organisation) and last 45 minutes
Course Fees: You will need to first enrol with us [North Tees Centre] for this training before you are are loaded onto the next available cohort - see 'enrol now' link below at the bottom of this page. All fees must be paid in full prior to starting the course.
The total cost of this course is £1800.00 per candidate and includes:
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Candidate RSPH registration fee (£500 registration)
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RSPH External verification fees (£100 scrutinisation fee)
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3 x full teaching days + 3 half day revision sessions
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Online resource access
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Regular access to course facilitators
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Support for both the candidate and the mentor
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Lecture programme / training notes
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Exam registration fee
Candidates must ensure their behaviour is appropriate at all times whilst attending / interacting with the centre and be reminded they are representing their respective organisation – concerns regarding a candidate’s behaviour will be discussed directly with their employers.
Attendance
Candidates will be required to attend the North Tees Centre delivered training via distance learning [Zoom] on 6 separate occasions throughout the academic year, and are also required to attend one online multichoice examinations set by the RSPH within their workplace.
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Regular non – attendance to online sessions may result in North Tees Centre being unable to support the candidate appropriately during the training period. This could result in the candidate being asked to leave the course with no refund of fees.
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A register will be taken of candidate online attendance for each teaching session.
Additional course requirements:
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Organisation or home internet access to this website and training material contained within - please contact your IT department if this site is blocked by your organisational (informing them that access to this site is required for service reasons).
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IT or mobile device that can access video zoom meetings (web cam, microphone and audio also required). Click here for more information on zoom meeting requirements.
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All assignments will need to be submitted electronically to the North Tees Centre (more details about the assignment requirements and criteria will be given once students attend the course) - candidates will require access to word processing software (e.g. Microsoft word) in order to produce assignments.
Key information and dates:
Next course: Level 2 certificate in mortuary support (cohort 1).
Programme starting: 10/10/25 (duration approx. 9 months) - see course dates above for this years timetable.
Course delivery: the course will require candidate online attendance for the following (see timetable above):
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x 3 mandatory distant learning (via zoom) teaching days - approx. 10am to 4:30pm.
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x 3 optional distant learning (via zoom) revision sessions - approx. 10am to 12pm.
Course assessment criteria – candidate’s will be required to:
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Attend x 1 Mandatory exam - sat between 2pm to 3pm at the candidate’s local trust / organisation via the RSPH e-Assessment platform.
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Submit x 3 Work based assignments.
Final application (s) close date: 06/06/25
Online application: Use 'enrol now' button to apply - course commences March each year. You will need to provide proof of North Tees payment when you enrol with us - the course fee is £1800 per candidate.
An administrative charge of £50 may be charged for any cancellations and course deferrals.