Bereavement support

Here we explain the practical and legal steps that happen when someone has died in hospital. 

As soon as you feel able to, telephone the Bereavement Office in the hospital. If you can, do this the next working day.

Bereavement Office

020 8934 3355

Tell us if you have any communication needs as a result of an impairment or disability.

If the office is closed, leave a phone message with your name and contact details. We will contact you by the next working day.

We understand that families make decisions in different ways. The next of kin may not be the person organising the paperwork and funeral. Tell us who you would like us to communicate with.

How we can help

The Bereavement team will:

  • offer you practical advice and emotional support 
  • help you to understand what happens next
  • check to see if the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is ready
  • contact you as soon as the MCCD has been sent to the Kingston Register Office
  • if you give them the name of your chosen funeral director, they can complete a release form and pass it to the mortuary team. This allows the funeral director to collect the deceased person
  • ask if you have any concerns about how the person was cared for in hospital. We will look into your concerns and offer support and advice.

People you may be in contact with

  • The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) offers confidential advice, support and information to patients and families.
  • Bereavement Officers are PALS staff who will advise on the practical steps that need to be taken after someone dies, and discuss what arrangements are needed.
  • Medical Examiners are independent senior hospital doctors who review medical records to consider cause of death.
  • Coroners are specialist judges who investigate certain deaths, including when the cause of death is not known. Coroner’s Officers support the Coroner in their investigation, communicate with relatives and make inquiries.
  • Registrars at the Register Office collect and record details of all births, deaths and marriages.
  • Funeral directors (also called an undertaker) arrange the funeral, oversee the paperwork, care for the deceased person and support the family.

Property and visiting

Visiting

If you would like to arrange to view the person who has died whilst they are in the hospital mortuary, call the mortuary and make an appointment.

Mortuary

020 8934 2644

Your funeral director can also arrange for you to view the person in the funeral home.

If the person’s death has been referred to the Coroner, we need permission for a viewing from the Coroner’s office. If the Coroner agrees, they might advise that you do this behind a glass screen.

You can contact the Coroner yourself using the details in Contacts below.

Property

Ward staff will pack up the deceased person’s belongings. You can then arrange a time with ward staff to collect these.

If you have any queries or concerns about the person’s property, contact the Ward Manager.

Basic steps, including 3 phone calls to next of kin

What to do when someone dies:

  1. Telephone the hospital Bereavement Office on 020 8934 3355. Tell them who the next of kin is and who will arrange the funeral.
  2. Wait for the phone call from the Medical Examiner’s Office to discuss the cause of death.
  3. Wait for the phone call from the Bereavement Office to tell you that the ‘Medical Certificate of Cause of Death’ has been emailed to Kingston Register Office.
  4. Wait for the phone call from the Register Office to organise appointment to register death.
  5. Attend appointment at Register Office to register death.
  6. Receive Death Certificate and Certificate for Burial or cremation so funeral can go ahead.

Cause of death

When someone dies in hospital, a senior doctor called a Medical Examiner reviews the person’s medical records and speaks to the medical team involved in their care.

The Medical Examiner’s role is to give advice about the cause of death. If they believe there may be issues about care or uncertainty about the cause of death, they will begin an investigation. This helps us to improve our care and we hope it will also reassure you.

They will speak to the next of kin to discuss the cause of death and any concerns.

The Medical Examiner’s Office needs to be satisfied about the cause of death before a doctor can issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).

If cause of death is agreed

When the cause of death is agreed by the Medical Examiner’s Office, the doctor who treated the person during their last illness issues the MCCD. They will send this directly to the Kingston Register Office. Someone from the Bereavement Office will then call the next of kin to tell them the certificate has been sent.

If cause of death is not agreed

If the cause of death is not agreed, or the death was sudden or unexplained, the Medical Examiner will refer a death to the Coroner.

The Coroner will check the person’s medical records. If they agree with the doctor about the cause of death, no further investigation is needed. The Coroner will issue a certificate to the Register Office confirming this. The MCCD can then be issued.

If the Coroner thinks the cause of death is not clear, a post-mortem examination (sometimes called an autopsy) is carried out. This is a medical examination to decide the exact cause of death. This is done by a specialist doctor (called a pathologist). It is usually done at the hospital.

If the cause of death is still uncertain after the post-mortem, the Coroner may hold an inquest. This is a meeting to find out how, when and where someone died. The Coroner’s Office will guide you through this process.

Usually, the Coroner will issue an interim death certificate after a post-mortem so the funeral can take place before the inquest. However, you will not be able to register the death or collect copies of the death certificate until after the inquest.

Once the Coroner has confirmed the cause of death either from reviewing the medical documentation, after a post-mortem or after an inquest, they will pass this on to the Kingston Register Office. The Register Office will then contact you to make an appointment to register the death. 

If you have religious or cultural concerns about post-mortem examinations, tell the Medical Examiner or Coroner’s Officer. They will take them into account wherever the law allows.

Certificates and forms

  • Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is a legal record of the cause of death. It is signed by the attending doctor and confirmed by an independent Medical Examiner. It is needed to register the death.
  • Pink form (form 100B) will be sent by the Coroner to the Register Office if the body is released after a post-mortem with no inquest. It states the cause of death.
  • Death Certificate is a certified copy of the entry in the register of deaths. It is issued by the Register Office. This is an important document and is required by the person who is dealing with estate. A death certificate will be needed in order to close accounts and notify organisations such as insurance companies.
  • Interim Death Certificate can be issued by the Coroner after a post-mortem. This means a funeral can take place before an inquest.
  • Certificate for burial or cremation (Green form) is issued by the Register Office once the death has been registered. It is usually passed on to the funeral director. A burial or cremation cannot go ahead without this form.

Registering the death

Once the Registrar receives the MCCD from the Medical Examiner, the death must be registered within 5 days (excluding weekends and bank holidays). 

The Register Office will call you to arrange a time.

At the appointment, they will give you the official death certificate. You will need this to complete the legal and administrative processes. The appointment will be an in-person meeting. 

Who registers the death

The person making funeral arrangements, the next of kin, or someone present at the death must go to a Register Office in person and officially register the death.

You can do this once the Register Office has the MCCD or equivalent approval from the Coroner.

Kingston Register Office will contact you to make an appointment.

Which Register Office

The MCCD or Coroner’s documents will always be sent to Kingston Register Office. Therefore, it is preferable that you register the death there. However, in exceptional circumstances, they can post the documents to your preferred Register Office, but this will cause a short delay.

Your appointment will be at:

What to take with you to register the death

Ask the Register Office what you need to take with you. You will probably need proof of your own identity plus the deceased person’s full name and previous names, date and place of birth, last address, occupation, and the name of their spouse or civil partner.

What happens at the register office

Once the Registrar has all the information they need, they will give you the following documents.

  • The certificate of burial or cremation (the Green Form).
    The register office will send this electronically to your chosen funeral director so they can make the funeral arrangements.
  • Copies of the death certificate.
    You will need these to notify the person’s bank, utility company and others who need to know about the death. These are usually returned, but most people find it useful to have multiple copies to help with this administration. Copies were £12.50 each at the time this booklet was printed.
  • ‘Tell us once’ unique reference number. This makes it easy to notify multiple government organisations of a death.

Other admin

As well as registering the death, there is a lot of other admin tasks to complete, such as telling banks and pension companies.

Tell Us Once is a Government service that lets you report a death to most Government organisations in one go.

The Registrar will give you a code for the Tell Us Once service. 

Life Ledger is another service that allows you to inform companies such as banks, insurances, utilities and even some subscription services. There are over 1000 companies registered with their service. 

There are other things that you will need to think about. The checklist below may help. 

In the days following the death:

  • Inform Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) and pension provider as soon as possible to avoid over payments
  • Check for a will, funeral plan or instructions for funeral
  • Inform:
    • employer or school 
    • care providers, meals on wheels etc. 
    • banks, credit and store cards and any other financial accounts 
    • insurances e.g. property (especially if left unoccupied) 
    • mortgage provider/landlord/local authority
    • utility providers (these can be temporarily transferred into another name if necessary) 
    • driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) and car insurance 

In the following weeks or months:
Gather all financial paperwork, such as insurance certificates and bank statements, and any documents relating to property.

If you have not found a will, choose who will deal with the estate and contact Probate Registry.

Find out if probate is needed and, if so, how you will go about the process yourself or using a professional.

Organ donation

Organ donation, such as heart and kidneys, can only occur when someone dies in Intensive Care or the Emergency Department. This is because organs must be used within a few hours of death.

Tissue, such as corneas (eye) and skin, can be donated up to 48 hours after death. So, unlike organ donation, almost all patients that die in hospital can be considered for tissue donation.

Even if the deceased was not a registered donor, you may be able to give permission for this to take place. Speak to the Bereavement team to find out more.

Arranging a funeral

The Bereavement team can give you advice about arranging a funeral.

If the deceased is still in a hospital or public mortuary, your funeral director may ask for certain certificates from the Registrar or Coroner for them to take the deceased into their care. They will guide you through this.

If the deceased had a pre-paid funeral plan, you will need the policy number, plan certificate or proof of purchase.

Faith and cultural needs

If you have any religious or cultural funeral requirements, tell the Bereavement team when you first make contact. We will then be able to help you as much as possible.

Our Pastoral and Spiritual Support Team are also available to offer comfort, advice and spiritual support, whatever your beliefs or faith. If you would like to speak with a member of the team, ask the Bereavement team.

Grief

There is no right or wrong way to deal with your grief. You may feel several things all at once, such as sadness, anger, helplessness or acceptance. Or you may find it difficult to identify what you are feeling and wish to focus on the practicalities.

It is important to ask for help from your personal support network if you need to. If you are feeling particularly overwhelmed by your emotions, contact your GP for support.

Support following a death

Self-care

Some of us find ourselves focussing on the wellbeing of those around us at difficult times, however, if you have not prioritised your own wellbeing, you may not be able to assist.

If you feel that you need some help with this speak to the Bereavement team and they can guide you to some organisations or websites that may help.

Donate in memory

Many people choose to donate to our hospital in memory of someone. For them, it is a positive way to pay tribute to someone special, while helping others in our community receive the very best care possible. 

Kingston Hospital Charity is committed to improving the quality of care and the experience of everyone. Many developments and new services have been made possible thanks to generous supporters.

Whether you’d like to make a one-off gift, hold a funeral collection in lieu of flowers, or set-up a lasting tribute fund, you can find more here: