Bereavement Services
Author: Bereavement Services
Issue date: April 2025 - Review date: April 2027
The emotional meaning of the dandelion
The dandelion has a surprising number of different meanings - it is known for its ability to thrive in difficult conditions.
In medieval times the blowing of the white seeds would grant the person a wish.We associate this “wish” with the need to know what is important to people at the end of life.
The yellow flower of the dandelion symbolises the ability to rise above life’s challenges and can be used as a visual reminder of the warmth and power of the sun, especially when grief makes it hard to remain happy.
What happens next?
You will need to make an initial phone call to the Bereavement Office between 10am and 4pm (weekdays) on 0300 443 0116.
One of our Bereavement Officers will take some details from the nominated representative, this is usually the person responsible for arranging the funeral. The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is required to be completed by a doctor, who treated the deceased within their lifetime, and can establish the cause of death. They will be familiar with the patient’s medical history, investigations and treatments while they were in hospital. When the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is completed, it will be sent via email to the central Registration Service. You will be given a certified copy once you attend your face-to- face registration appointment.
This process should be completed within 2 working days and is dependent upon the availability of the doctor, who is responsible for the completion of the required documentation.
Please note if the death occurred overnight the Bereavement Team will start the process the next working day.
In some circumstances it may be necessary for the doctor to refer the death to HM Coroner. A referral to HM Coroner does not automatically mean a post-mortem is required and many referrals are resolved with minimal delay.
We strongly advise that a date for the funeral should not be booked until you have registered the death.
Medical Examiner & Bereavement Nurse role
Medical Examiner
The purpose of the service is to give an independent view on causes of death and the care and treatment provided. Medical Examiners review all deaths apart from those that need to be investigated by the Coroner, and they are required by regulations to make all enquiries they consider relevant. The service was implemented across the NHS in England with the aim of improving death certification and ensuring that the bereaved are kept at the centre of the process. By introducing this service, the NHS aims to provide an opportunity for the bereaved to ask questions about the cause of death and discuss the care that their loved one received prior to their death.
Who are Medical Examiners and Medical Examiner Officers?
Medical Examiners (MEs) are senior NHS doctors, who have completed specialist training, and who are independent of the healthcare professionals that looked after the deceased. Their role is part of the Statutory Death Certification Process introduced on 9 September 2024.
Medical Examiner Officers (MEOs) work with Medical Examiners. They assist the MEs and help answer queries from the bereaved and can discuss any concerns they may have. They support the MEs in their role of scrutinising the circumstances leading to and cause of death. They are a point of contact and source of advice for the bereaved.
Bereavement Clinical Nurse Specialist
Our Bereavement Nurse Specialists can support families who may be experiencing difficulties with their loss and can signpost you to the relevant specialist supportive services.
If you would like the opportunity to speak with a Bereavement Clinical Nurse Specialist, you can contact them via email on mse.bereavementnurses@nhs.net or telephone the relevant site Bereavement Office.
Hospital Chaplaincy
The Hospital Chaplains are available to offer care and support to bereaved relatives and friends. This care is offered irrespective of the individual’s religion or belief.
Specific religious needs can also be supported by the Chaplaincy Team or Local Faith Community Leaders.
The Chaplains are available during normal office hours to provide you with support, but for urgent end of life care, can also be contacted out of hours via the hospital switchboard.
If you would like to speak to a member of the Basildon Chaplaincy team, please call 0300 443 6754
Email: mse.basildonchaplains@nhs.net
Hospital Post-Mortem
There are occasions when the clinical team involved in the care of the patient, may ask for your consent to carry out a hospital post-mortem examination.
Even when the doctors know the cause of death, they may make a request for a hospital post-mortem, to gain further knowledge about the illness. Unlike a Coroner’s postmortem, this can only be done with the agreement of the nominated representative and after a consent form has been signed.
The Bereavement Team would be happy to advise, should you have any queries.
Registering the Death
When do I need to register a death?
It is a legal requirement to register a death within 5 days, once Registration Services have received the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, sent to them by the Medical Examiners team.
If the death is being investigated by The Coroner this might not be possible. Visit www.gov.uk/after-a-death/when-adeath-is-reported-to-a-coroner to find out more about this process.
You must make an appointment to register a death. Some Essex registry offices are listed in the back of this book.
Who can register a death?
The death can be registered by a relative of the person who has died.
If a relative is not able to then someone else can register the death if:
• They were there at time of death
• They are an administrator at the hospital or care home where the person has died
• They oversee making funeral arrangements for the person
Due to the high volume of telephone calls received, it is advised that you use the webpage if you can. The webpage explains the process.
Certificates
Make sure you order enough certificates. You will need these when you are arranging the finances of the person who has died and may need to give them to banks, insurance, pension companies and to the executor of the will.
All certificates are chargeable, and prices are subject to change.
Once the death has been registered you will receive:
• The death certificates you paid for when you booked the appointment.
• A certificate for burial or cremation (known as the ‘green form’) - this gives permission for burial or an application for cremation.
• Access details so you can use the ‘Tell Us Once’ service (this will reduce the number of certificates you need and the number of calls you have to make, to inform government related services about the death).
If you have not paid for any certificates in advance, you can order certificates online from the Essex record website: www.essexrecordoffice.co.uk/services/certificate-copies
‘Tell Us Once’
A registrar will explain the ‘Tell Us Once’ service when you register the death. They will either complete the ‘Tell Us Once’ service with you or give you a unique reference number so you can use the service yourself online or by phone.
You must use the service within 28 days of getting your unique reference number.
If you cannot register the death because an inquest is underway, you can still ask a registrar for a unique reference number. You will need to get an interim death certificate from the Coroner holding the inquest first. They will notify:
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) - to deal with personal tax and to cancel benefits and credits, for example child benefit and tax credits.
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - to cancel benefits and entitlements, for example universal credit or state pension.
• Passport Office - to cancel a British Passport.
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) - to cancel a licence, remove the person as the keeper of up to 5 vehicles and end the vehicle tax.
Probate and legal advice
If you have any difficulty in dealing with the deceased’s property, possessions, or guardianship of their children, you can get advice from a solicitor or The Citizens Advice Bureau as soon as possible. If there is no will, speaking to a solicitor may be helpful. Many solicitors are prepared to offer up to half an hour of legal advice for a small fee; some even offer a free initial consultation to discuss your situation.
Probate is a document issued by the probate registry confirming that an executor has the right to take control of the estate of the person who has died. The ‘estate’ is the house, money and savings left by someone when they die (probate may not be necessary if the estate is small). The executor is the person chosen in the will to sort out the estate and make sure the conditions of the will are carried out. For further information on probate and inheritance please contact the helpline or visit the website below:
Helpline: 0300 123 1072
Website: www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate
Property
Personal belongings should be collected by the nominated representative. All personal possessions will be returned to you by the ward as soon as possible after the death. Where this does not happen, the items will be temporarily kept by the ward until arrangements have been made between the ward and nominated representative regarding collection. Please note, the Bereavement Teams are happy to advise you, but have no responsibility regarding the return of any belongings.
We strongly encourage you to ask the Funeral Directors to provide you with a clear guide of the services they provide and what fees might be incurred.
Your loved one, will remain in the care of our mortuary team until the registration process has been completed or, if HM Coroner is involved, the coroner has finished their investigation.
In extenuating circumstances and in agreement with the Mortuary Manager, it may be possible for your Funeral Director to request an early release from the hospital and to transfer your loved one to the Funeral Directors, prior to registration.
For further information, regarding fees, please discuss these with your Funeral Director.
For any other questions, the Bereavement Team would be happy to advise.
Death of a newborn baby or child death
It is a statutory requirement for all child deaths under the age of 18 years to be referred to the Child Death Review Team (CDRT) to meet requirements under the Children’s Act 2004. This applies to natural, unnatural, known, or unknown causes, at home, in hospital or in the community.
Support and guidance will be given by the CDRT or by the hospital Maternity Bereavement Team.
If this death has occurred before the birth has been registered (newborn baby), the birth will still need to be registered within 42 days using the information previously given.
You should call the Registry Office on the central registration number to book an appointment. To avoid repeated and upsetting conversations, please ensure you inform the Registry Office that you are registering the birth, but the baby has died.
The Children’s Funeral Fund for England, can help to pay for some of the costs of a funeral for a child under 18 or a baby stillborn after the 24th week of pregnancy.
It is not means-tested; what you earn or how much you have in savings will not affect what you get.
The burial or cremation must take place in England. For more information, please visit: www.gov.uk/child-funeral-costs
Honouring the memory of your loved one through charitable donations
You may wish to consider making a donation to Mid and South Essex Hospitals Charity. The donation will be used within our hospitals to benefit services provided to our patients and their families.
If you chose to make a dedicated donation for the care and support received during the bereavement process, you may wish to make an “in memory donation to our bereavement fund which supports the bereavement service”.
To donate to the Bereavement Fund or to make another charitable donation, please contact Mid and South Essex Hospital Charity on: 0300 443 0052 or email mse.charity@nhs.net
Registration Number 1057266
Tissue donation
If the deceased carried a donor card or had expressed a wish in life to donate tissue after their death, we would like to make sure that their wishes are fulfilled.
Many people find it comforting that something positive can happen from a sad and difficult loss and can give some families the option of making a difference to others.
You may not realise that donated tissues such as skin, bone, corneas, and heart valves can be used to improve the quality of life for others. Please be aware, this needs to be arranged within 24 to 48 hours after death.
If this is something that you would like to consider, advice can be given by the Bereavement Team, or you may prefer to contact the specialist referral team at the National Referral Centre on: 0800 432 0559.
Support and comfort
Some people find it helps to share their sadness; others find it extremely hard to talk about the person who died.
You may wish to seek help and support from any of the national groups and organisations which are detailed below. For help with locating local resources, please contact the bereavement office.
Citizens Advice Bureau 0344 477 0808 www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Support Line 0808 808 1677 www.cruse.org.uk
Road Peace
Supporting bereaved and injured through road accidents 0800 160 1069 www.roadpeace.org
Samaritans 116 123 www.samaritans.org
Inheritance Tax & Probate (for wills & estates) 0300 123 1072 www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate
National LGBTQIA+ support line 0800 0119 100 www.switchboard.lgbt
No Panic Helpline 0300 772 9844 www.nopanic.org.uk
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS) 0300 111 5065 www.uksobs.com
SANDS
(Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity)
Helpline 0808 164 3332 helpline@sands.org.uk www.sands.org.uk
Support after Murder & Manslaughter (SAMM) 0121 472 2912 www.samm.org.uk
Support Line
For children, young people & adults 01708 765200 www.supportline.org.uk
The Compassionate Friends
Kilburn Grange, Priory Park Road, London NW6 7UJ
Befriending for bereaved parents telephone helpline
Helpline 03451 23 23 04
10am - 4pm & 7pm - 10pm, each day www.tcf.org.uk
The Good Grief Trust
Bereavement resources under one umbrella. www.thegoodgrieftrust.org
WAY Widowed & Young
Self-help support for men and women under 50 whose partner or spouse has died. www.widowedandyoung.org.uk
Child Bereavement UK
Helpline: 0800 02 888 40 www.childbereavementuk.org
Department for Work and Pensions
0800 731 7898 www.dwp.gov.uk
Winston’s Wish Their website has many resources designed to help children to manage their loss.
Website: www.winstonswish.org
Helpline: 0808 802 0021
Registration offices
Basildon Registry Office
Registrar of Births, Marriages and Deaths
Basildon Library, St. Martin’s Square, Basildon, SS14 1EE
Tel: 0345 603 7632
Other Essex Registry Offices: 0345 603 7632
Benfleet:
South Benfleet Library
264 High Road
Benfleet
SS7 5HD
Billericay: Burghstead Lodge 143 High Street
Billericay
CM12 9AB
Braintree: Braintree Library
Fairfield Road
Braintree
CM7 3YL
Brentwood: Brentwood Library
New Road
Brentwood
CM14 4BP
Chelmsford: Chelmsford Library
County Hall Market Road
Chelmsford
CM1 1GE
Clacton:
Clacton Library
96 Station Road
Clacton-on-Sea CO15 1SF
Colchester: Colchester Library 21 Trinity Square
Colchester C01 1JB
Dunmow: Great Dunmow Library 47 White Hart Way
Dunmow CM6 1FS
Epping: Epping Library St John’s Road
Epping CM16 5DN
Harlow: Harlow Library
Cross Street
Harlow CM20 1HA
Harwich: Arts & Heritage Centre (Temporary) Main Road
Harwich CO12 4AJ
Maldon: Carmelite House
White Horse Lane
Maldon CM9 5FW
Rayleigh: Rayleigh Library, 132-134 High Street
Rayleigh, SS6 7BX
Uttlesford: The Council Offices London Road
Saffron Walden CB11 4ER
Witham: Witham Library 18 Newland Street
Witham, CM8 2AQ
The Hospital would like to thank RNS Publications for publishing this information and the following pages contain some features from services o ering their help at this time.
Whilst the Hospital is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide.
