Chelsea and Westminster Bereavement Booklet

NHS

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Bereavement Service A practical guide on what to do after a death

NHS

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Please accept our condolences on the death of your loved one.

We realise that this is an upsetting time for you, but hope that this booklet will help you with some of the necessary processes and formalities.

Contents Bereavement Team........................................................................................................................................ 1 Chaplaincy Service......................................................................................................................................... 2 Prayer Spaces....................................................................................................................................................... 2 Out-of-hours / Weekends / Bank Holidays.................................................................. 2 Paying your Respects................................................................................................................................ 3 Hospital Post Mortems.............................................................................................................................. 3 Coroner’s Office and Post Mortems...................................................................................... 4 Coroner’s Inquest.............................................................................................................................................. 4 Medical Certificate of Cause of Death............................................................................... 5 Who is able to register the death?........................................................................................... 5 Registering a Death....................................................................................................................................... 6 At the Register Office.................................................................................................................................. 7 Details of Deceased...................................................................................................................................... 7 Tell Us Once Service.................................................................................................................................... 9 Tissue Donation................................................................................................................................................... 10 Funeral Arrangements............................................................................................................................... 11 Repatriation (Burials Abroad).......................................................................................................... 12 Paying for a Funeral...................................................................................................................................... 12 Other things to be done........................................................................................................................... 13 Stopping Junk Mail.......................................................................................................................................... 14 Memorial Services........................................................................................................................................... 14 How you might feel......................................................................................................................................... 15 How children react........................................................................................................................................... 15 Advice and Support........................................................................................................................................ 16 Support Organisations............................................................................................................................... 17

Bereavement Team On the first working day following the death of your loved one, you will need to contact the Bereavement Team on 0203 315 8650 (opening times Monday to Friday 8:30am to 4:00pm) or email bereavement.team@chelwest.nhs.uk to discuss the next steps.

Once all the relevant documents are ready a member of the team will call you back to make an appointment. Whilst every effort is made to ensure a prompt issue of the death certificate, some delays may be inevitable due to the availability of the attending doctor; this process normally takes 48 hours to complete and maybe longer if the coroner is involved. In order to make this process as easy as possible, please do not come to the Bereavement Office without arranging an appointment first.

At your appointment the Bereavement Adviser will hand over the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. They will be pleased to answer any questions you may have about the registration process and direct you to other sources of help and information.

Meeting the Team We recognise that you may have questions later and may wish to speak with the Consultant’s team or the Ward Manager. Please do not hesitate to contact the Bereavement Office who can help facilitate this for you.

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Chaplaincy Service The hospital offers a multi-faith chaplaincy service for patients, staff and the families and friends of patients.

The team has representatives from the Muslim and Christian Faiths, and can also access support from other faith communities, including Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu, Greek and Russian Orthodox, Sikh, Christian Scientist and the Humanist tradition.

If you are feeling distressed and think it would help for a chaplain to be alongside, you can call the chaplaincy team directly on extension 58083 internally, or on 020 3315 8083 when calling from outside the hospital. For urgent enquiries please call 07659 140 566.

Prayer Spaces All are welcome to visit the Trust’s prayer spaces, which offer the opportunity for peace and reflection. The Chapel (1st Floor, Lift Bank C) is primarily for Christian prayer, and the Blessed Sacrament is reserved there. The Tent (4th Floor, Lift Banks C&D) is primarily for Muslim and Jewish prayer.

Out-of-hours / Weekends / Bank Holidays A body can be collected from the hospital out-of-hours (outside Mon–Fri, 8am–4pm) if there are religious or legal reasons and the hospital is able to issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and the registrars are available to issue the necessary paperwork.

Hospital staff will be unable to release a body out-of-hours if it is likely that the death will need to be referred to the Coroner’s Office. Viewings should be discussed with the Trust Site Managers who can be contacted on 020 3315 8000 bleep 0111.

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Paying your Respects When your loved one has died, the ward concerned should be able to allow you to spend some time with them before they are transferred to the care of the hospital mortuary. If you do not get the opportunity to do this, or would like another opportunity, the hospital provides a viewing room. This is a private room in the hospital where you are able to pay your respects to the person that has died. If you wish to do so, please contact the Bereavement Team to make an appointment.

Hospital Post Mortems Sometimes, the doctors who issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death may ask your permission to carry out a voluntary hospital post-mortem examination. This is to give the doctors a chance to learn more about diseases and use this knowledge to help other patients. It is entirely up to you whether or not to grant permission. If you do, the examination should not delay issuing the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death or the funeral arrangements.

Talking to a doctor may help you to decide whether you wish to give permission.

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Coroner’s Office and Coroner’s Post Mortems The Coroner is a doctor or lawyer who is responsible for investigating deaths. A death must be referred to the Coroner if; • The doctors cannot identify a cause of death • The death occurred within 24 hours after admission • The death was sudden or unexplained • The death is due to an industrial injury or disease • The patient dies during surgery or soon after surgery The Coroner will then decide whether or not a post mortem examination is needed. The Coroner’s Officer will make direct contact with the next of kin to answer questions and provide guidance. The Coroner’s Office issues all the paperwork instead of the hospital. The contact details for the Coroner’s Office are: Westminster Coroner’s Office 33 Tachbrook Street Pimlico London SW1P 2ED T: 0207 641 1212

Coroner’s Inquest An inquest is a formal public inquiry but most cases referred to the Coroner do not involve an inquest. If there is an inquest the Coroner will give the burial order or a certificate for cremation to the funeral directors, and will explain what will happen next.

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Medical Certificate of Cause of Death Unless the death has been referred to the Coroner, you will need to collect a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death from the Bereavement Adviser. They will arrange to have this ready when you attend your appointment. You will need this certificate in order to register the death.

Who is able to register the death?

It is not necessary to register the death yourself. A relative or other person nominated by the family can register the death as long as they have with them the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and information listed in this booklet.

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Registering a Death The death needs to be legally registered within five working days (i.e. not counting the weekends) after you receive the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. This period may be extended in certain circumstances, for example when the Coroner has been consulted. Further information can be obtained from the Bereavement Team or staff at Chelsea Registrar’s Office.

All deaths at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital must be registered at: The Register Office Chelsea Old Town Hall Kings Road London SW3 5EE (Entrance on Chelsea Manor Street) T: 020 7361 4100 The office is open Monday to Friday, 8am–5pm. You must book an appointment before attending the registrars. You can book an appointment online by visiting www.rbkc.gov.uk or you can call 0207 361 4100.

After registering the death the Registrar will give you: • A green certificate for burial or cremation • Copies of the death certificate The Registrar will ask you how many copies of the certificate you will need. A fee is payable for all copies. You may need a copy of the death certificate for the will and for any pension claims, insurance policies, savings certificates, premium bonds and banks or building societies. It is a good idea to ask for more copies than you think you will need because the fee is higher if you need to ask for copies at a later date. There is a charge of £11 for each death certificate to be paid.

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At the Register Office Please take the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death with you, if you have one. If possible you should also take other supporting documents such as the person’s birth and marriage certificates, passport, proof of address and NHS medical card. The Registrar will ask you the following questions (use the space to write down the information at home before you go to the Register Office): Details of Deceased The date and place of death ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Full name and surname/family name ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Maiden surname/family name (if applicable) ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Date of birth ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

The country, town or county of birth ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

Address (including postcode) ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

The last full time occupation of the person who has died (and if applicable, the name and occupation of the deceased’s spouse or civil partner) ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

If the person who has died was married or in a civil partnership, the date of birth of the surviving spouse or civil partner ...............................................................................................................................................................................................................

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Tell Us Once Service Tell Us Once is a government initiative which enables bereaved relatives to inform a range of government departments that a death has occurred, either with a single phone call or by using a dedicated, secure website.

The system covers both local and national government departments, including pensions and benefits, tax, council tax, passports, driving licences, blue badges and others.

During the registration process, the Registrar will log some details on the Tell Us Once system, and give you a sheet with a unique reference number on it, together with contact details for the Tell Us Once team.

You will then have 28 days to either telephone or use their website, to complete the process and send notifications to the relevant organisations.

If you choose not to use Tell Us Once, the information the Registrar has entered will be automatically wiped from the system after 28 days. The system is completely secure, and information is only shared with your consent.

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Tissue Donation Tissue donation can help transform the lives of thousands of people every year. Many tissues can be donated after death.

These include: Heart Valves – within 48 hours after death Eyes – within 24 hours after death Bone – within 48 hours after death Skin – within 48 hours after death If you would like to discuss the opportunity to donate tissue, please inform the nursing team looking after your loved one or the Bereavement Team who can contact the Regional Tissue Co-ordinator.

Alternatively you can contact the NHS Blood and Transplant Referral Centre directly on 0800 432 0559.

Donating to Medical Science The London Anatomy Office handles donations for all the London Medical Schools. If your loved one completed the relevant paperwork for their body to be donated to medical science, you will need to contact the school of anatomy as a matter of urgency after the death has taken place.

You can contact the donation coordinator on 0207 848 8042 or email lao@kcl.ac.uk The Anatomy Office is based at: Room 5.8 5th Floor, Hodgkin Building Kings College London Guy’s Campus London SE1 1UL 10

Please note that the School of Anatomy may not be able to accept all requests due to excluding medical factors. The consent for donation has to have come directly from the potential donor.

Having power of attorney does not qualify you to make a decision to donate a body even if you believe it was what the deceased wanted.

Funeral Arrangements It is important to ascertain if the deceased made any arrangements or left instructions in a will for their funeral. Check also to see whether they had a pre-paid funeral plan. You may wish to select a funeral director. It is advisable to contact more than one firm and ask for details of their charges and the services they provide before making your selection.

The funeral director will make arrangements for the relatives to see the deceased in their chapel of rest if this is required. Please let the Bereavement Adviser know if the funeral service is to be a burial or cremation so that the relevant documents can be completed.

In the case of cremation, further forms are required from two doctors. One of the doctors will be a doctor/consultant who treated your loved one through their illness. The second doctor is an independent doctor who has not been involved in their care and who will speak to the doctor who signed the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, regarding the patient’s medical history.

This means that the deceased cannot be moved to your choice of funeral director until these forms have been completed. The staff will do their best to get the forms ready for the funeral director as quickly as they can however sometimes a short delay is unavoidable.

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Repatriation (Burials Abroad) If you wish to repatriate the body of your loved one, for example move them to another country (this includes Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland), it is vital that you discuss this with the Registrar at the Town Hall, and also your chosen funeral director, as various additional papers have to be issued. Most commonly, a Free from Infection Certificate (FFI) has to be issued by the hospital, for which there is a fee, and an Out of England Order which must be issued by the Coroner’s Office.

Paying for the Funeral The cost of the funeral can vary. The cost of the funeral is usually met from the assets of the person who has died, but if there is no estate, the cost may be the responsibility of the person making the funeral arrangements. You can discuss ways of reducing the costs with the funeral directors. If you are in receipt of certain benefits you may be entitled to help with the cost of the funeral. You can apply using form SF200 Funeral Payment from the Social Fund.

This can be obtained by visiting the Department of Work and Pension office (DWP) website at www.gov.uk or contacting your local DWP office. Alternatively the Bereavement Team can print a copy of this form for you when you attend your appointment.

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Other things to be done There are many other practical things that may need to be done when someone dies. These can include: • Returning the deceased person’s passport and driving licence • Returning pension and allowance books • Sending back registration documents for a vehicle • Returning any NHS equipment

People and organisations to inform about the death Beyond the immediate family and friends, the following checklist will give you a starting point for the people and organisations you will need to inform about the death.

• Bank / Building society

• Employer

• Credit card companies

• School/University

• Royal Mail

• Landlord

• Department of Work & Pensions

• Inland Revenue

• Utility companies

• Council offices

• Life insurance company

• TV licence authority

• Car insurance company

• Meals on wheels, etc

• Housing Department

• Social services

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Stopping Junk Mail If someone you know has died, the amount of unwanted marketing post being sent to them can be greatly reduced which helps to stop painful daily reminders.

By registering with the free service www.stopmail.co.uk the names and addresses of the deceased are removed from mailing lists, stopping most advertising mail within as little as six weeks. If you cannot access the internet you can call 0808 168 9607, where you will be asked for very simple information that will take only a few minutes to complete. Alternatively, ask the bereavement team for a leaflet that can be returned in the post.

This free of charge service provided by the Bereavement Support Network will actively reduce the unwanted marketing mail but also can help reduce the likelihood of identity theft following the death of someone close. The information is not used for any other purpose and you only have to complete this once. Additionally to Stop Mail a comparable service can also be accessed from the Bereavement Register or Deceased Preference Service if you would prefer to use them.

Memorial Services At Chelsea and Westminster Hospital we hold memorial services in the Chapel twice a year. Relatives, friends and hospital staff attend to remember all those who have died in the hospital in previous months. If you would like further information please ask the Bereavement Adviser.

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How you might feel The death of someone close can be a devastating experience and can bring about stronger emotions than most people expect. Every bereavement is unique, and our grieving, our reactions and our needs are also unique. Even if you have known that someone was dying, there may still be a sense of shock when the death occurs.

Initially you may feel numb, empty, unreal or full of pain. Later on these may change to feelings of anger, panic, guilt, sadness, or even relief. These are natural reactions to bereavement and are not a sign that you can no longer cope.

How children react It may be tempting to exclude children from conversations about the person who has died and the funeral arrangements. Children are no different to adults when it comes to bereavement. There is no right way to react and every child will respond differently.

Grieving children need honest and appropriate explanations, in language that they can understand, which acknowledges their loss. It is important to remember that children may not have the words to express their feelings and may show how they feel through behaviour. Do contact the school/nursery, so that the child can be supported there too.

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Advice and Support Everyone has their own individual coping mechanism to deal with loss and there is no right or wrong way to feel or act. The turmoil of emotions that may be felt is often confusing and bewildering and sometimes it can be difficult to sort these feelings out. Relatives and friends are an invaluable source of support and help at this time. However, occasionally it can be easier to discuss problems with a stranger especially if they understand what you are going through. We have listed people and organisations that may be able to give either practical or emotional support.

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Lesbian Gay Bereavement Project Offering bereavement support and advice to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered men and women and their friends and families LLGS Helpline: 0300 330 0630 Available everyday 10am-11pm 365 days a year W: www.londonfriend.org.uk

Support Organisations Age UK A national organisation for the elderly T: 0800 169 6565 W: www.ageuk.org.uk Cancer Bacup Offers information and support about cancer T: 0808 808 0000 W: www.macmillan.org.uk

National Meningitis Trust T: 0800 028 1828 (24-hour Freephone) W: www.meningitis-trust.org

Child Bereavement UK T: 01494 568 900 W: www.childbereavementuk.org E: support@childbereavementuk.org

Samaritans Central London: 020 7734 2800 National Helpline: 116 123 W: www.samaritans.org

Cruse Bereavement Care Offers support to all bereaved people - local branches throughout the UK T: 0808 808 1677 W: www.cruse.org.uk E: helpline@cruse.org.uk

The WAY Widowed and Young Support for men and women widowed under the age of fifty W: www.widowedandyoung.org.uk Winston’s Wish Telephone help and advice, especially for bereaved children and siblings

Down to Earth Support for those in financial need to plan affordable, meaningful funerals.

T: 0208 983 5055

T: 0845 203 0405 W: www.winstonswish.org E: info@winstonswish.org

Reference: Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Bereavement Booklet Review date: June 2021 Publication date: June 2019

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Bereavement Advice Helping you following your loss www.bereavementadvice.co.uk

There are many topics covered including...

• Caring for the deceased • Coroners & death registration • Money and property • Help and support • Stopping unwanted mail

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