In Times of Bereavement

 

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In the unfortunate event that a person has passed away, there are three things that must be done in the first few days;

  • Get a medical certificate from your GP or hospital doctor (this is necessary to register the death)
  • Register the death within 5 days (8 days in Scotland). You will then receive the necessary documents for the funeral.
  • Make the necessary funeral arrangements.

image representing in times of bereavement

 

What happens when someone dies 

When a person dies, one of the first steps for their representative or relative is to obtain a death certificate. Depending on the cause of death, there will either be an investigation by a coroner, or medical certification by a medical practitioner.

This is usually either the GP, or the Hospital Doctor, or Hospice Doctor, who had been taking care of the patient in their last days of life. All deaths in England and Wales, without exception, now require an independent review (by either a Coroner or Medical Examiner). This change was introduced in 2024, after a new law.

Medical examiners are senior NHS doctors, from either a hospital or general practitioner setting, who, after completing specialist training, work part time in this role. Their job is to give an independent view on causes of death and the care provided (except for deaths which have to be investigated by a coroner).  Medical Examiners review the patient care records as well as the cause of death proposed by the attending practitioner (GP, Hospital Doctor, etc), who had knowledge of, or involvement in, the care of the deceased.

Your conversation with the medical examiner 

As a relative or representative of someone who has died you will be asked if you would like to have a conversation with the Medical Examiner, or their officer, about anything that may be worrying you about how the person who died was cared for. The purpose of this discussion is to increase understanding and peace of mind for families.

The Medical Examiner or Medical Examiner officer will explain what is written on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and why. You may simply want to better understand why the person died, including by having medical terminology explained, or you may want to raise something about the care which did not feel right or ideal. This is your opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns.

Medical Examiners and Medical Examiner Officers will discuss your feedback, questions and concerns. If they consider any issues with care need further investigation, they will refer these to someone who can do this work. As well as answering your questions, talking to a Medical Examiner helps the NHS provide better care for other patients and carers in future; for example, by identifying ways in which patient and family care could be improved.

Increased timescales for registering a death

It may take longer for deaths to be certified and registered due to the additional step involving the Medical Examiner.

Notification of deceased's representatvie 

The deceased’s representative will not be able to register the death until the Medical Examiner has sent the MCCD to the Registrar (in some cases this may take longer than 5 days).

Changes to dealth certificates

New death certificates, introduced as a result of the changes introduced in 2024, include some different information, such as the new categories of informant (deceased’s partner or representative).

Register the death

If the death has been reported to the coroner (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland) they must give permission before registering the death.

You can register the death if you are a relative, a witness to the death, a hospital administrator or the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors.

You can use the ‘Register a Death’ page on the gov.uk website that will guide you through the process. This will also explain the registration process for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Further Informaiton 

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-the-death-certification-process/an-overview-of-the-death-certification-reforms#updated-guidance

https://www.england.nhs.uk/patient-safety/patient-safety-insight/national-medical-examiner-system

https://www.rcpath.org/profession/medical-examiners/the-role-of-medical-examiners-and-medical-examiner-officers.html

 

Arrange the funeral

The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered. Most people use a funeral director, though you can arrange a funeral yourself.

 

image representing bereavement

Funeral directors

Choose a funeral director who’s a member of one of the following:

These organisations have codes of practice - they must give you a price list when asked.

Some local councils run their own funeral services, for example for non-religious burials. The British Humanist Association can also help with non-religious funerals.

 

Arranging the funeral yourself

Contact the Cemeteries and Crematorium Department of your local council to arrange a funeral yourself.

 

Funeral costs

Funeral costs can include:

  • funeral director fees
  • things the funeral director pays for on your behalf (called ‘disbursements’ or ‘third-party costs’), for example, crematorium or cemetery fees, or a newspaper announcement about the death
  • local authority burial or cremation fees

Funeral directors may list all these costs in their quotes.

For free independent advice on bereavement issues, you can find more information at lastingpost.com.