It is normal for people to be unsure of what to do after a bereavement. We recommend that that you contact us as soon as possible following the death to seek advice and We can take you through the initial steps.

When someone dies in hospital, hospital staff will arrange for a doctor to issue the Medical Certificate of Death which you need to collect, along with any belongings from the hospital. If the funeral is to be a cremation it is better to advise the staff of this as early as possible so they can make arrangements for the additional documentation required for cremation to be completed.

When someone dies at home or in a nursing home the first contact should be with the deceased’s doctor who, if satisfied with the cause of death, will issue the Medical Certificate of Death. In most cases you will be asked to collect the certificate from the surgery.

Once you have received the Medical Certificate of Death you will be able to make an appointment to register the death (see Registrars Offices.) After registration the green certificate for Cremation or Burial must be given to the Funeral Director.

When someone dies unexpectedly, the Coroner is usually involved. If the deceased has not been under a Doctors care on a regular basis, the death could be reported to the coroner, and it will be decided if there is to be an investigation into the circumstances of the death. Contact us a s soon as possible, we can advise on the procedures involved and liaise with the Coroners Office.