Many people are understandably not sure what to do in the event of a death. we have included the following scenarios in order to give some initial guidance but please be assured we are available on the telephone 24 hours a day should you require any assistance or have any questions.
When a person dies at home the first call should be to the deceased’s doctor, so that the death can be certified. If the Doctor is satisfied with the cause of death the death certificate may be issued either straight away or you may be required to collect it from the surgery which the doctor will explain at the time.
If a person dies in Hospital the staff will notify the Next of kin and arrange for the Medical certificate of cause of death to be issued. Once the certificate is prepared the next Kin will be contacted by the hospital bereavement’s office to arrange collection. Once you have the death certificate you will be able to register the death. You will also be asked if the funeral is going to be a burial or cremation in order for the doctor to prepare the necessary cremation form.
When someone dies unexpectedly or has not been in regular care of the Doctor which means the Doctor can not issue a death certificate the coroner will be involved. The coroner has the authority to order a post mortem. This is so that the cause of death can be verified. Once the examination is complete the deceased will be released into the care of the funeral director and the Coroner will issue the necessary burial/cremation forms for the funeral arrangements to proceed.
