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NHS

Bradford District Care NHS Foundation Trust

Information for bereaved relatives and friends

Photo of Reeds kindly shared by Mr Karl Mainprize, previous Executive Medical Director

better lives, together

W: www.bdct.nhs.uk

: @BDCFT

Contents Thinking about you ........................................................ 1 What is the first step? ....................................................2 The medical certificate of the cause of death ...........2 Medical examiner ................................................... 3 Funeral directors ...........................................................4 Registering a death.......................................................4 Who can register a death? ..........................................6 Will the Registrar require identification? ....................6 What will the Registrar ask me about the person who has died? .................................................. 7 When is the coroner involved?....................................8 What if I have concerns................................................9 Bereavement .....................................................................9 In the early days ............................................................9 Feelings and emotions .............................................. 10 Shock and disbelief.................................................... 10 Longing ........................................................................ 10 Sadness or depression.............................................. 10 Anger.................................................................... 11 Guilt .............................................................................. 11 The passage of time and anniversaries.................. 11 For advice and support................................................12 People to inform about the death ..............................15

When someone dies, you may find yourself filled with strong and varying emotions or unable to feel anything much at all. We are all different and moments of particular significance in our lives often show this very clearly. Over the coming days, as well as coping with your grief, there are things to organise and arrangements to make. We hope the information in this leaflet will provide useful help and advice.

What is the first step? We have amended our information below to reflect changes related to the Coronavirus pandemic and to guide you through the new registration process.

The medical certificate of the cause of death If your relative died in Bradford Hospital Please telephone the bereavement office on 01274 354477 between 10:00am and 11:00am the next working day to give your contact details, at which point you will be advised of the certificate and registration process. In order to register the death of your relative, a medical certificate of cause of death (often called a MCCD) will be issued by a hospital doctor unless the death is reported to the coroner (see page 8). The MCCD does not need to be collected from the hospital as it will be scanned to Bradford Register office and you will be advised when to ring 01274 432151 to make an appointment to register the death. If there are any personal belongings to return, please make the bereavement office aware so they can be collected during office hours – Monday to Friday 8:00am - 4:00pm from the bereavement office located at main reception, BRI, the ward at St Luke’s Hospital or the relevant community hospital (Westbourne Green or Westwood Park).

Medical examiner service The reforms to the death certification process which came into effect on 9 September 2024 require all deaths in England and Wales to be independently scrutinised, either by a coroner or by a Medical Examiner (ME). MEs are senior medical doctors who provide independent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths. Under the new system, in cases not involving a coroner, a registered medical practitioner will be eligible to be an attending practitioner and complete an MCCD, if they have attended the deceased in their lifetime. Once the death has been verified by a trained professional, the patient can be moved to the funeral directors. The medical examiner service will: Provide greater safeguards for the public by making sure all deaths are reviewed by an independent doctor. Ensure the coroner is involved when needed. Provide better service for the bereaved by giving them opportunity to ask questions and / or raise any concerns to an independent person. Once the cause of death has been discussed and agreed with the clinical team who cared for your relative, the MCCD can be issued. The medical examiner or the medical examiner officer will contact you, or a designated family member, to explain the cause of death. You will be asked if you have any comments or concerns about your relative’s care and will have the opportunity to ask any questions you may have. If the medical examiner is unable to answer your questions immediately, he/she will advise you regarding sources of additional support or information.

Funeral directors Most people choose to use a funeral director to help with arranging a funeral and other practical matters. You can search online or in a local paper for funeral directors or contact Bereavement Services 01274 433900. It is possible to make the necessary arrangements without a funeral director but this can be time consuming and complicated. The Natural Death Centre can help with this (see page 13 for contact details). The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and the National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) are regulatory bodies. They ensure that all of their members meet certain professional standards. Most of these establishments will have a place of rest where families may see their deceased relative again, if desired. Telephone: 0121 711 1343 www.nafd.org.uk Telephone: 01279 726777 www.saif.org.uk Registering the death All deaths must be registered in the district in which they occurred, even if the deceased lived elsewhere. The GP will issue the MCCD which will be scanned directly to the register office to enable you to register. If the death is referred to the coroner, this may cause a delay in registering the death.

It is a legal requirement to register the death within 5 days. Registration is by appointment only using the online booking service through: www.gov.uk/after-a-death The death can be registered at one of the following offices: Bradford Register Office: City Hall, Centenary Square, Bradford, BD1 1HY Telephone: 01274 432151 Mon-Fri 9:00am - 4:30pm Saturday by appointment only. The Register Office Town Hall Bow Street, Keighley Telephone: 01274 432151 (Bradford Register office)

If the death occurred in North Yorkshire, the death will be dealt with by the Skipton Register Office Belle Vue Square Broughton Road Skipton BD23 1FJ Telephone: 01609 780780

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On call service This is available between 9:00am and 11:00am on Sundays and public holidays for families wishing to arrange a burial locally on the same day or wishing to apply to the coroner for an Out of England order. A registrar can be contacted on: 01274 432149. Who can register the death? Certain people have a legal duty to give information: In order of preference (interpreted by the Registrar), they are as follows: • • • • • • •

A relative of the deceased who was present at death. A relative of the deceased who was in attendance during the illness. Any relative residing or being in the district where the death occurred. Anyone present at the time of death. An occupier of the house where the death occurred. The person arranging the funeral. The funeral director (when acting on behalf of the family).

Will the Registrar require identification? The Registrar will ask questions about the person who has died and you as the informant, so it will be helpful to have identification documents to hand, such as a passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate and details of the home address. Please note, the Registrar does not need copies of these documents, they are for you to refer to so you can be sure you have the correct details of the deceased person.

What will the Registrar ask me about the person who has died? • Full name of the deceased, along with any other names used (and maiden surname if married, in a civil partnership or widowed). • Date and place of birth and death. • Marital status. • The date of birth of any surviving widow, civil partner or widower. • Home address of the deceased. • Last occupation – even if retired. • Husband’s / wife’s / civil partner’s full name and occupation if married/widowed/in a civil partnership. If married or in a civil partnership at the date of death: • •

The date of birth of the surviving partner. If deceased – who was in receipt of a government job pension – details of who with.

The registrar will then issue a Green Certificate which will be required by the funeral director for cremation or burial and a Registration or Notification of Death Form (BD8), which is used for social security purposes. Both certificates are issued free. Further copies of the death certificate may be obtained from the Registrar for a fee, for insurance purposes, probate, friendly societies, private pension schemes, banks, etc. The informant should take to the appointment proof of identification for the deceased (i.e. birth certificate, marriage certificate, passport) and proof of identity for themself. If available, the deceased’s medical card should be given to the Registrar.

Tell Us Once Service Following the registration, the Registrar will issue you with a reference number for the Tell Us Once Service. This will enable you to access this very useful service. See the website below for more details. www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you-need-to-contact- andtell-us-once When is the coroner involved? The law requires that the hospital informs the coroner of the death in certain cases, such as a sudden, violent or unnatural death and where the cause is unknown or cannot be ascertained. The coroner is responsible for establishing the cause of death. He is helped in this by a coroner’s officer. The officer will usually speak to relatives soon after death in order to gather facts and information about the person who has died. This is a legal formality and is not intended to cause any concern. He may also contact the deceased’s GP for a recent medical history. If the cause of death still remains unknown the coroner will then order a post-mortem examination. The coroner may also decide to hold an inquest into the death. In these circumstances, the coroner’s officer will inform you of the time and place. Please note the medical certificate of the cause of death cannot be issued until the coroner is satisfied of the cause of death. In these circumstances, it is acceptable to register the death after the five day period. You should also advise the funeral director that the coroner is involved.

What if I have concerns? Compliments, concerns and complaints. You may contact Bradford Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust – Patient Experience and Involvement team on 01274 228298 who will be able to support and help you identify how best to address your concerns. Mon-Fri 9:00am – 4:00pm. For Bradford District Care - Patient Advice and Complaints Department: 01274 251440 Email: advice.complaints@bdct.nhs.uk

Bereavement In the early days You may feel distressed immediately after your relative or friend’s death, or it may take a few weeks or months to sink in. However, whenever it hits you, you should allow yourself a full range of emotions. There will come a time when it feels right for you to make decisions regarding disposing of possessions of your loved one or possibly moving house, do not feel pressurised into making these decisions until you feel ready. It may be helpful to accept help from others and to share your feelings with someone you trust.

Feelings and emotions Bereavement is something which most of us experience at some time in our lives. The process of grieving is an essential part of acknowledging what your relative or friend meant to you. It can be difficult to accept and adjust to the loss of someone we love deeply. You may feel confused by the different emotions that may at times overwhelm you. Adjusting to this loss may be difficult and can take a long time. But remember grieving is normal and there is no right or wrong way to do it. Shock and disbelief You may not accept that your loved one has died. It may feel unreal. This is a normal reaction that initially cushions you against the loss. Longing Longing can be a big part of grieving. You may think you sense the presence of the person who has died, or hear their voice, or you may look for them in a crowd, even though you know they are dead. Sadness or depression It is not uncommon to have feelings of sadness or depression. You may feel tired but unable to sleep, hungry but not able to eat. It may be difficult to concentrate, and simple problems may get exaggerated out of all proportion. You might find yourself in a state of panic or you may feel run down or lethargic, experiencing aches and pains you don’t normally suffer from. While all this can be a normal part of the grieving process, you must not be afraid to seek advice from your GP.

You may also find that friends and neighbours sometimes avoid you. This may be because they do not quite know what to say to you or are finding it difficult to cope with their own feelings of loss. It may help if you take the first step by letting them know that you would appreciate their friendship and support. Anger Sometimes this is directed at others, sometimes at yourself, with thoughts such as “why me?” or “why have you left me?” Guilt You may find yourself thinking “If only I had” or “If only I had not”. The passage of time and anniversaries You may find memories are less painful with time and that you are able to think about the person who has died without being so distressed. You may also find yourself wanting to go back to your old interests or pursue new ones. There is nothing wrong in this, just allow yourself time to grieve in the way that feels right for you – there are no set right or wrong ways – and bear in mind that particular dates and anniversaries can trigger the grief process all over again.

For advice and support Bradford Counselling Collaborative (Mind in Bradford Guideline Service) For people living in Airedale, Bradford and Craven. Tel: 0800 1884 884 Cancer Support Yorkshire Tel: 01274 776688 www.cancersupportyorkshire.org.uk Craven and Bradford Cruse www.cruse.org.uk Tel: 01756 797799 Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice Caring for babies, children and young people up to 21 years of age who have life-shortening and life-threatening conditions, and their families. Caring for families whose child has died, across West Yorkshire. Tel: 01484 411042 Email: care@forgetmenotchild.co.uk Marie Curie Bereavement Support Marie Curie | Support Line www.mariecurie.org.uk/help/support/marie-curie-support-line Tel: 0800 090 2309 Sue Ryder Online Community and free online counselling service, open to all adults. Go to: www.sueryder.org/support

Further advice about practical issues can be obtained from www.gov.uk. Other sources of help and support both national and local are: • Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) www.dwp.gov.uk • Bereavement Support Network www.bereavementsupport.co.uk • Cancer Support Yorkshire www.cancersupportyorkshire.org.uk • Child Bereavement UK www.childbereavementuk.org • Samaritans www.samaritans.org

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• Lesbian & Gay Bereavement Helpline

0300 330 0630

• Learning disabled relatives/children www.cruse.org.uk • Winston’s Wish www.winstonswish.org

08088 020 021

• The Natural Death Centre www.naturaldeath.org.uk

01962 712690

• Dying Matters www.dyingmatters.org

Information collected by : Marilou Armada (End of life Educator / Facilitator) Bradford Palliative Care Team Reference: Bradford Hospital Bereavement Book Airedale Hospital Bereavement Book Date of publication: November 2025 Date of review: November 2027 www.bdct.nhs.uk

People to inform about the death There will be many organisations and people to inform after a death. Please use the following as guidance to help you identify these as relevant to you. Accountant Bank / Building Society Benefits agency Bereavement Support Network (to remove name from mailing lists) Church or other place of worship Clubs and social groups Council tax office Credit card companies Creditors (anyone owed money) Debtors (anyone owing money) Dentist Doctor / GP DVLA - to return driving licence and cancel car tax Electricity supplier Employer Gas supplier Hire purchase / loan companies Home help agency Hospital (appointments are cancelled automatically)

Income tax office Insurance companies (house, contents, car) Internet provider Landlord Library Life insurance provider Local authority Mortgage provider Motoring breakdown provider National insurance contributions Optician Passport office Pension plans Post Office to redirect mail Premium bonds Professional bodies Private healthcare Relatives and friends Solicitor TV licence Telephone provider Water supplier

Bradford District Care would like to thank RNS Publications for publishing this information and the following pages contain some features from local services offering their help at this time.

Whilst we are grateful of their support, we do not endorse or recommend any of the services that are included in this booklet.

Melia Powell Funeral Service Creating a funeral as unique as your Loved One We provide a caring, professional service to families in their time of need and can assist with pre-planning.

24 Hour Personal Care

01274 965 491 Branches in Sandbeds and Keighley

meliapowellfuneralservice.co.uk

Do you need help with

Probate? You may need help, support or advice on what to do when someone dies in relation to probate. It may not always appear obvious if it will be required.

Call: 0333 240 0360 We offer free guidance on the legal and financial aspects of bereavement including your responsibilities and whether probate is required. You may need to establish whether a property is held in joint names or tenants in common, we can perform a simple check at no cost to establish the title deeds. This service is provided by

bereavement support network here to help

Connecting you with managed and D.I.Y. Probate Solutions Calls are charged at standard landline rates. Calls from mobiles are included in inclusive call packages.