What to do after death

Most people are not sure what to do after a bereavement and there are many arrangements and decisions to be made at what is a very difficult time.
The following information is a guide to some of the things that need to be done:

When someone dies in hospital

A Medical Certificate of Death will be issued which you will need to collect along with any personal belongings.
If the deceased is to be cremated then please notify the hospital staff and they can arrange for any additional documentation. Two doctors will sign the Medical Certificate and there will be a charge for this.
Contact us and we will arrange to visit you and discuss the funeral arrangements and to bring the deceased into our care.

When someone dies at home or in a nursing home

The deceased's GP should be the first contact and if satisfied with the cause of death will issue a Medical Certificate. Sometimes you will be required to collect the Certificate from the local surgery.
Once the doctor has been informed please contact us and we can arrarge to come to your home or pop into our office to make the funeral arrangements and bring the deceased into our care.

If the cause of death is not clear

When someone dies unexpectedly then the coroner will get involved.
The Coroner is a lawyer or doctor and they are responsible for investigating the death.
Contact us as soon as possible and we will help and adivse you on the procedures involved.