HomeWhat to do when someone dies
Call us as soon possible on 01822 612023, we answer the telephone 24 hours a day. We will be able to talk you through what to do next and put initial arrangements in place to receive your loved one into our care.
When someone dies in hospital
Your first telephone call should be to us, we can then start helping you with all the arrangements and will talk you through the following steps. The nursing staff will make arrangements for a Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death to be issued by the doctor. You will need to collect this document, along with any belongings, from the Bereavement Office at the hospital. If the funeral is to be followed by cremation, please advise the hospital staff so they can make arrangements for the Certificates for Cremation to be completed. Once all the paperwork has been completed the hospital will then give us permission to bring your loved one into our care.
When someone dies at home, in a nursing home, in a community hospital or hospice
Your first telephone call should be to the Doctors Surgery who will send a Doctor to confirm that death has taken place. Your second telephone call should be to us and we will then make arrangements to bring your loved one into our care. If the Doctor is satisfied with the cause of death, they will arrange for the issue the Medical Certificate of the Cause of Death usually for the following day. In the case of a nursing home or hospice death, the staff will call the Doctors Surgery on your behalf.
When someone dies suddenly or unexpectedly
When someone dies unexpectedly, the Coroner becomes involved. If your loved one has not been under a doctor's care recently, the emergency doctor or the police, will inform the local Coroner’s office. Your initial contact in the event of an unexpected or suspicious death, should be with the Police. At this time, your loved one will be removed by a Coroners Officer usually to the Hospital. The Coroners Officers will keep you fully informed on what will happen next, either to advise you that after discussion with the GP the medical certificate will be issued normally or that your loved one will receive a post mortem examination to obtain an exact cause of death.
In any of the above events, it is important to call us as soon as possible. We are here to guide you through the procedures and to support you and your family at this time.