First steps

Before a death can be registered:

A qualified clinician (for example a doctor, nurse or paramedic) will verify that the person has died. How this happens may depend on the person’s location at the time of death. A doctor who has seen them during life will then refer the death to either His Majesty’s Coroner for investigation, or the Medical Examiner Service for Wales for independent scrutiny.

There are several reasons why a death may need to be referred to and investigated by the coroner, including accidents, trauma, self-harm or simply where the cause of death is unknown. Most deaths do not need to be referred to the coroner, and even when the coroner does need to be informed, this does not always mean there is a problem or that a post-mortem is needed.

If the death does not need to be referred to the coroner, the doctor must draft a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and send this, along with details of the next of kin and copies of the medical notes to the Medical Examiner Service.

You will find more information on both the coroner and the Medical Examiner Service on our other webpages. 

If your relative or friend has died in any of our hospitals:

The Care After Death Team will support and assist with the necessary paperwork and liaise with other people who are usually involved following a death, such as the registrar, medical examiner or coroner’s office.

In the first instance, please contact the Care After Death team on 01792 703114 and they will explain what happens next with regards the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, sometimes called a ‘Death Certificate’ or ‘Medical Certificate’

The team will ask you:

• Some identifying questions to ascertain who the patient is
• Your name, contact details and relationship to the patient
• Establish if you are person who will be responsible for registration of death and arranging the funeral
• The name of the funeral director you wish to use, if you have decided

You will be able to ask the team any questions you may have and they will be able to support you. You can call the team as many times as you like, and they will keep in contact with you to keep you updated on the progress of the paperwork. They can also advise you on your relative/friend’s belongings if needed.

Any time someone we love dies we can often feel overwhelmed and you may feel like it is difficult to cope with how you are feeling. If you feel this way, the Care After Death team can help to find you the right support during your bereavement, so please talk to the team if you think this would help you.

If your relative or friend has died at home, or in the community:

Depending on the circumstances, it would usually be the patient’s GP who completes the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death when a person dies at home or in a residential/care home. If you know who your relative/friend’s GP is, you can contact them for an update on the paperwork.

If the death is sudden, unexpected or if your relative/friend has not been seen recently by their GP, the coroner’s office may be involved. The GP or the police (if in attendance) may be able to advise you on this. Further information on the role of a coroner can be found on our webpages. 

However, the Care After Death team can help you in either circumstance, if you feel you need any support. You can contact them on: 01792 703114.

The Care After Death team can liaise with the GP or coroner on your behalf, and keep you updated with the progress of the paperwork, as well as liaise with other people who are usually involved following a death, such as the registrar or medical examiner.

The team will ask you-

• Some identifying questions to ascertain who the patient is
• Your name, contact details and relationship to the patient
• Some details about the circumstances of your relative/friend’s death, to ascertain if the coroner is involved
• Establish if you are person who will be responsible for registration of death and arranging the funeral
• The name of the funeral director you wish to use, if you have decided

You will be able to ask the team any questions you may have and they will be able to support you. You can call the team as many times as you like, and they will keep in contact with you to keep you updated on the progress of the paperwork if they are supporting you with this.

Any time someone we love dies we can often feel overwhelmed and you may feel like it is difficult to cope with how you are feeling, especially if the death was sudden or unexpected. If you feel this way, the Care After Death team can help to find you the right support during your bereavement, so please talk to the team if you think this would help you.