When someone dies in the hospice, staff will guide you through what to do immediately after the death. You will not need to leave immediately and you will be supported to spend time with your loved one if you wish.
The team will confirm with you whether you are planning a burial or cremation and ensure the relevant paperwork is completed.
Faith leaders representing various beliefs and denominations can be made available to you if required.
Once staff have completed the care for your loved one, your chosen Funeral Director will be able to take them into their care.
If the patient had not stated a preference and you are unsure which Funeral Director to use information can be found from the following websites:
The National Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors www.saif.org.uk 0345 230 6777
The National Association of Funeral Directors www.nafd.org.uk 0121 711 1343 or from the list enclosed within this booklet.
Personal belongings can be taken home immediately or can be collected, by appointment, at a later date.
If the death happened at home
When someone dies at home during the day 9am - 5pm you will need to phone the relevant GP surgery. If out of these hours you will need to contact the Out of Hours Service or call 111.
A health professional will visit the house to confirm that the person has died. If the death happens during the night then it might not be a familiar GP who visits. The doctor will then write the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. Due to the current pandemic this will be sent on your behalf to the Registrar’s office who will contact you within seven working days about the death certificate.
Once the doctor has visited you should contact your chosen Funeral Director. They will collect the person who has died and take them to their premises. You may also need to contact:
• District nurses for return of home nursing equipment, patient records, drugs etc.
• Palliative Care Co-ordination Centre (PCCC) for the return of any equipment. Tel: 0300 0200 694.
Death certificate and medical examiner
Before a death can be registered a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death must be completed by a doctor. This will be done following review by the Medical Examiner who will have received prior notification of the death.
The Medical Examiner is a senior doctor who was not involved in the care of the patient. The Medical Examiner provides an independent review of the cause of death and whether a Coroner referral is needed.
The cause of death will be written on the death certificate. The Medical Examiner and their staff can explain what the medical language means. They will ask you whether you have any questions or concerns about the cause of death or about the care the person received before their death. This will usually be through a telephone call. If there are issues with the care that need further investigation the Medical Examiner will refer these to someone who can do this.
The Coroner
In certain cases a doctor may be required to report the death to a coroner. For patients who die at St Barnabas Hospice that may be for one of a few possible reasons:
• The patient died within 24 hours of admission
• The patient had surgery in the last year
• The patient had a fall during their admission
• The cause of death is unknown
• The death was sudden and unexplained
• An industrial disease may have contributed to their death
The Coroner may decide that the cause of death is clear, in which case:
1. The doctor signs a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death.
2. The Coroner issues a certificate to the registrar stating a post-mortem is not needed, (unless the patient has Mesothelioma in which case the coroner writes and issues the death certificate and organises the cremation forms if required, they will liaise directly with the family).
Registering the death
When a family member or friend dies, their death needs to be registered.
To do this, you will need a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. The Medical Examiner will have liaised with the doctor to confirm the details. They can then complete and issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. Previously you would have taken this to the Registrars’ office. However, at present this is sent on your behalf.
The Registrars’ office will contact you generally within seven working days by telephone and when all details have been confirmed, they will issue you with a death certificate. This will enable you to proceed with funeral arrangements.
The Registrars’ office will also explain how to use the “Tell Us Once” service. They will either complete the information with you or give you a reference number so you can use the online service yourself. This service informs the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and other Central and Local Government Departments of the death. This makes it easier and less stressful.
For more information call Lincolnshire County Council on 01522 782244 or the DWP on 0800 151 2012. This information needs to be completed within 28 days.
There is no cost for registering a death. The only cost will be for extra copies of the death certificate as these may be needed by other organisations such as banks and for insurance purposes.
Scan below to register a death
Funeral arrangements
Once a Funeral Director has been chosen they will help make arrangements for the funeral in response to the family wishes.
Some families choose to arrange the funeral themselves, however, please note there are strict guidelines which must be followed.
You can start making the funeral arrangements as soon as you feel able to do so.
A Funeral Director will:
• Help you make all necessary arrangements and liaise between the various organisations, such as the cemetery/crematorium.
• Ensure all the correct paperwork is issued so that the funeral can be held.
• Discuss the funeral service with you. They will discuss your options and choices and associated costs.
• Help you appoint a faith-leader or non-religious celebrant to lead the service.
If you are concerned about the financial cost involved for a funeral, you can discuss this with your funeral director or contact the St Barnabas welfare team on 01476 513 544.
Help and advice can also be found on the Lincolnshire County Council website, www.lincolnshire.gov.uk or from the Bereavement Support Network www.bereavementadvice.co.uk Telephone 0808 168 9607
Bereavement support
St Barnabas have a bereavement helpline and counselling support service. They will support with any bereavement, not just the families and friends of those cared for by the hospice.
The helpline is available Monday-Friday, 11am-3pm, telephone 0300 303 1897 They also offer one to one counselling and bereavement support.
For further details and support, contact by telephone on 01522 518 246 or email counselling. services@stbarnabashospice.co.uk
Sorting social media
Dealing with your loved one’s social media account once they have died may not be your main priority at the moment. However, scrolling through their photos and memories may help you grieve. On the other hand you may be worried that people who are not aware of the situation may try to contact the person or still receive birthday notifications.
Over time you may want to make a decision about what to do with your loved one’s social media profiles and other online accounts. Information on how to memorialise or delete social media accounts can be found online at: www.beyond.life/help-centre/
The Counselling and Bereavement Support Team at St Barnabas Hospice
St Barnabas Hospice
Publication date: February 2025
Review date: February 2027
The Hospice 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 Hospice is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide.
You may need help, support or advice on what to do when someone dies in relation to probate.
We offer free guidance and advice on the legal and financial aspects of bereavement including your responsibilities and whether probate is required.
Calls are free from most land lines, some calls may be monitored for training purposes and all calls are confidential. This service is provided by the Bereavement Support Network Ltd.
This publication has been jointly developed between ourselves and the hospice. We hope that it has been or will be of help at this time and we welcome any comments or suggestions that you may have.
Please contact us either by phone, email or by post.
RNS Publications, Trium House, Unit 15, Broughton Way, Whitehills, Blackpool FY4 5QN
We wish to thank the advertisers and sponsors, without whom this publication would not have been possible.
However the hospice does not endorse any of the products or services they provide.
funeral
We understand how expensive funerals can be and we specialise in providing a valued service.
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