We would like to offer our sincere condolences to you and your family at this sad and difficult time.
The dandelion initiative was implemented as the hospitals commitment to improving end of life care.
Our aim is to promote dignity in death by making small changes that will impact upon the patient and family experience in a positive manner.
This booklet has been produced to provide some practical help and advice during the early days of your bereavement.
When tomorrow starts without me, and I am not here to see, If the sun should rise and find your eyes, filled with tears for me.
I wish so much you would not cry, the way you did today, While thinking of the many things, we did not get to say.
I know how much you love me, as much as I love you, and each time you think of me, I know you’ll miss me too.
When tomorrow starts without me, do not think we are far apart, for every time you think of me, I am right there in your heart.
~ David Romano
What happens next?
You will need to make an initial phone call to the Bereavement Office between 10am and 4pm (weekdays) on 0300 443 0117.
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 advise that a date for the funeral should not be booked until you have registered the death.
Visiting the Dandelion Suite
Although we endeavour to consider all requests to visit your loved one in the Dandelion Suite, this may not always be possible and remains at the Mortuary Manager’s discretion.
Please contact the Bereavement Office in the first instance, if this is something you would like to request.
MSE Hospitals request this is restricted to 2 family members and is only permissible if you did not have the opportunity to visit the ward or department at the time of death.
Family visits are not available once the Funeral Director has been appointed and the paperwork for the release of the deceased is complete.
We advise you to contact your Funeral Director to visit your loved one, once arrangements have been made to transfer from the hospital into their care.
A request to visit can be arranged Monday to Friday by appointment only, via the following contact numbers:
Broomfield Bereavement Office – 0300 443 0117
Broomfield Mortuary Department – 0300 443 0381
If your loved one has been referred to the coroners, please contact the mortuary department and ensure that you have the coroners’ case reference number to hand.
The Medical Examiner process
The Medical Examiner will review the medical records and discuss the care with the medical team who were looking after the deceased. This is to ensure that when completing the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD), the document accurately reflects the details of the cause of death.
Medical Examiners or Medical Examiner Officers will get in touch to ask if you would like to have a conversation about the cause of death and they will answer questions and listen to any concerns you may have regarding the care they received. The Medical Examiner or Medical Examiner Officer will explain the reasoning behind the cause of death and explain what is written on the official form. They will ask you if you have any questions or concerns about the proposed cause of death.
In some situations, the death of your loved one, by law, may need to be referred to the Coroner’s Office for further investigation. The MEO will arrange for the referral to be completed and support you through the process.
If you would like the opportunity to speak with a Medical Examiner, please contact:
0300 443 0364 you will then be given 3 options:
Option 1 – Broomfield Medical Examiner Office Option 2 – Southend Medical Examiner Office Option 3 – Basildon Medical Examiner Office
Or email: mse.broomfield.meoffice@nhs.net
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 your loved one’s name written in the hospital memorial book, please complete and return the insert included in the bereavement pack.
The Chaplaincy Service can be contacted as follows:
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
What do I need to register a death?
You no longer need to attend the hospital to collect the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. It will be sent electronically to The Registrar by the Medical Examiner Team.
Once this has been completed you will then be able to book a face-to-face appointment to register the death.
You will also need:
• The person’s NHS number
• The person’s birth certificate, if possible
• The name, email, and address of your funeral director
The registrar will ask for the person’s:
• Date and place of death
• Full name (any other names they used or maiden name)
• Home address and postcode
• Date and place of birth
• Deceased’s last occupation
• Their spouse’s full name and occupation (if applicable)
How to book an appointment
You or someone you know can book yourself an appointment online: www.essex.gov.uk/register-a -death
Follow the self-service form and book a convenient appointment. If you do not have internet access, you may call on 0345 603 7632.
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
• the local council - to cancel housing benefit, council tax reduction (sometimes called council tax support), a blue badge, inform council housing services and remove the person from the electoral register.
• Veterans UK - to cancel or update armed forces compensation scheme payments.
For full list and further information please go to: www.gov.uk/after-a-death/organisations-you-need-tocontact-and-tell-us-once
Stopping junk mail to the recently deceased
Receiving unsolicited mail can be insensitive and upsetting during the grieving process.
You can register with the FREE service www.stopmail.co.uk
If you do not have use of the internet, you can call 0808 168 9607.
This free of charge service is provided by the Bereavement Support Network. Alternatively, you can use other comparable services such as The Bereavement Register or The Deceased Preference Service.
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 with 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 wind up 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.
Funeral arrangements
When you make initial contact with the Bereavement Team, they will talk to you about making funeral arrangements. To assist the team to ensure all legal documentation is completed in a timely manner, you may be asked if you have thought about appointing a Funeral Director and whether you have considered a burial or cremation for your loved one.
Whilst we acknowledge that you may not have thought about this on first contact, you will need to make the Bereavement Team aware prior to registration; this will allow them to liaise with the Funeral Directors and ensure your loved one is transferred into their care at the earliest opportunity.
You may find it helpful to make provisional arrangements with a Funeral Director of your choice, but please do not book a firm date, until the death has been registered.
We request that Funeral Directors collect each patient within three working days of being formally engaged by families and being notified by us that all required documentation is in place.
Funeral Directors charge for their services once you have appointed them and have agreed a contract. They can advise and support you with funeral arrangements and will discuss arrangements for the care and accommodation of your loved one whilst they remain at the hospital.
While resting with Mid and South Essex Hospitals, your loved one will be cared for, either in one of our onsite accommodations at Basildon, Southend or Broomfield Hospitals, or at one of our offsite accommodation facilities.
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 will be happy to advise.
If you are currently receiving income support or other benefits, you may be entitled to financial help with funeral expenses. The DWP will be glad to answer any general enquiries.
Feedback and concerns
As a trust we are committed to ensuring that families can feedback their end-of-life experience.
Please scan the QR code to complete a bereavement survey about your experience.
Alternatively visit: https://forms.office.com/r/EwbUqaxrT1
If you would like a paper copy, or an easy read version, of this survey sent to you please speak to your bereavement office.
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
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.
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 0345 123 2304
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
Chelmsford Registration Office
Chelmsford Library
Market Road
Chelmsford CM1 1GE
Tel: 0345 603 7632
Other Essex Registry Offices
Benfleet:
South Benfleet Library
264 High Road
Benfleet
Essex SS7 5HD
Billericay: Burghstead Lodge
143 High Street
Billericay
CM12 9AB
Braintree:
Braintree Library
Fairfield Road
Braintree
Essex CM7 3YL
Brentwood:
Brentwood Library
New Road
Brentwood
Essex CM14 4BP
Castle Point & Rochford (Benfleet):
Rochford Library
8 Roche Close
Rochford SS4 1PX
Chelmsford:
Chelmsford Library
County Hall
Market Road
Chelmsford
Essex CM1 1GE
Colchester: Colchester Library 21 Trinity Square
Colchester
Essex C01 1JB
Epping Forest:
Epping Library
St John’s Road
Epping CM16 5DN
Great Dunmow:
Great Dunmow Library
47 White Hart Way
Great Dunmow
CM6 1FS
Harlow:
Harlow Library
Cross Street
Harlow
Essex CM20 1HA
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
