Blackpool Victoria Hospital and
Clifton Hospital
“Memories
are the loveliest thing, They last from day to day, They can’t get lost, They don’t wear out, and can’t be given away.” (Anonymous)
You are not alone
We are extremely sorry for your loss and appreciate this is an incredibly difficult time for you and your loved ones.
Inevitably, there are certain practical issues that need to be organised when someone dies. The information in this booklet is designed to give you details about the next steps, answer some of your questions and signpost you to the extra help and support that is available to you.
Grief is a normal reaction to the loss of a loved one and you may feel lots of different emotions around this loss. Grief never fully leaves us, but we do learn to navigate it in time. If you feel you need further support or advice, there are a number of organisations listed on pages 21-24.
If you have any questions, or need to talk, please feel free to telephone the Swan Specialist Bereavement Team (see page 3). Alternatively, you can speak to your funeral director for advice.
Supporting your loved one’s wishes
It is important that if someone has expressed specific wishes prior to death that we do all we can to fulfill them.
If you have discussed this with the ward team they will advise, however please do not hesitate to contact them with any further questions, or you can discuss with the Bereavement Team when you call.
Organ donation
Some people express a desire to donate organs for transplantation after death. This is something that can only take place in very specific circumstances, such as when a person has died in either a critical care unit or accident and emergency department.
Tissue donation
Unlike organ donation, almost everyone can be considered for tissue donation.
If your loved one has expressed a wish, or you feel able to consider tissue donation, it may be helpful to know that heart valves, eyes (corneas) and other tissues can be donated up to 24 hours after a person has died. A family member can consent on behalf of the patient. This is, of course, a very personal decision. If you would like more information, please call Tissue Services on 0800 432 0559 (24 hour freephone).
Keepsakes
If you wish, the staff caring for your loved one can arrange for keepsakes such as holding hearts, teddies, handprints and hair locks. You may also wish to take photos of your loved one’s hands. Please speak to the Swan Bereavement Specialists or your chosen funeral director if this is something you would like to arrange.
Swan Bereavement Support Team
The Swan Bereavement Specialists will help provide you with what matters most to you in the immediacy of your loss. The team are available to all who may need support following bereavement. The team is based at Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, however we do offer the service for all families in the care of the hospital and community.
Our aim is to provide practical and emotional support to families and carers after the loss of a loved one. The team are not trained counsellors but can advise on accessing these and other services that may be helpful to you and your loved ones.
The ward team and Bereavement Office staff may have discussed and referred you to the service, however you and/or any loved one can contact our team directly for support.
Swan Bereavement Support Team
Telephone: 01253 952456
Email: bfwh.swanteam@nhs.net
Office hours: daily from 9.00am to 4.30pm
The Good Grief Trust offers a range of both local and national information and support groups you may find useful –“help and hope in one place”. Visit their website and/or discuss with the Swan Team for any further information: www.thegoodgrieftrust.org
Practical first steps, when death has occurred
If your loved one has died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital, you will need to telephone the Bereavement Office the next working day.
• Bereavement Office: 01253 953723
Opening hours: 9.00am-3.00pm Monday-Friday (closed weekends and bank holidays)
If your loved one has died at Clifton Hospital, telephone the ward the next working day from 11.00am onwards.
• Ward 1: 01253 956221
• Ward 2: 01253 952627
• Ward 2b: 01253 952629
• Ward 3: 01253 956226
• Ward 4: 01253 956216
You or your representative may be invited to attend the Bereavement Office or relevant ward to collect any personal belongings or valuables.
By law, a medical doctor is required to provide a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death when a person has died to confirm the death and state the cause of death. The Medical Examiner’s team will review the medical records and arrange for the doctor to complete the paperwork as soon as possible. This can take a few days. Any delays will be explained to you.
The hospital will:
• Provide the Registration Office with the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
• Explain the procedures to you for Registration of Death
• Return any remaining personal belongings and valuables to you
• Offer you a referral to our Swan Bereavement Specialists who can provide ongoing support to you and your family. You can also self-refer to the Swan team at any time for bereavement support (see page 3).
In some cases where the doctor is uncertain about the reason or the circumstances of death it may not be possible to issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. If the death was sudden or unexpected the doctor is legally obliged to inform the coroner. More information can be found on page 15.
For a death that has occurred at Clifton Hospital: when you leave the hospital, a funeral director appointed by the hospital will take the deceased to their funeral home until the death has been registered. When this has taken place, the funeral director of your choice will bring the deceased into their care.
The Medical Examiner
Blackpool Teaching Hospitals, in line with government requirements, has introduced the role of the Medical Examiner. The Medical Examiner is a senior doctor who is not involved in the care of the patient, but who understands the circumstances surrounding the cause of death.
The purpose of the Medical Examiner is to make it easier for bereaved relatives to understand the wording on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and to ensure that this information is correct by performing a review of the medical records.
Someone from the Medical Examiner’s team will contact a designated family member to help you understand the cause of death. You will also be asked if you have any concerns regarding your loved one’s care during their final illness.
Although the Medical Examiner may not be able to answer your questions immediately, they will advise you regarding sources of additional support or information.
You can speak to a member of the Medical Examiner’s team on 01253 956766.
Contact a funeral director
You do not have to wait until the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death has been issued, however you may like to take time with this decision to compare costs and services provided. Details of local funeral directors can be found at the end of this booklet. Alternatively, the internet is a good source of information.
Register the death
Once the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death has been issued, the Bereavement Office (at Blackpool Victoria Hospital) will arrange for this to be sent electronically to the local Registration Office.
It is a legal requirement to register the person’s death within 5 days of the date from when the Registrars receive the completed Medical Certificate of Cause of Death.
In most cases this is done by a family member but needs to be someone who can provide the necessary information about the person who has died. See pages 9 and 10 for the information that is needed.
If you anticipate any difficulties in this matter, do not hesitate to contact the Bereavement Office: 01253 953723.
Where to register the death
A death should be registered in the local authority district where it occurred:
• For a death that occurred at Blackpool Victoria Hospital
The Registrar, on receipt of the electronic Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, may contact the family to make a faceto-face appointment to register the death. Alternatively, families can contact the Blackpool Registration Office (location map on page 12), preferably online: www.blackpool.gov.uk/deaths
If you do not have access to a computer, please phone 01253 477177.
• For a death that occurred at Clifton Hospital
There are two Registration Offices on the Fylde coast, one in Fleetwood and one in St Annes (location maps on page 13).
You can make a face-to-face appointment at either Registration Office online at: www.lancashire.gov.uk/births-marriages-and-deaths/deaths
If you do not have access to a computer, please phone 0300 123 6705.
Who can register the death
You can register the death if you are:
• A partner or personal representative of the deceased
• A relative
• Someone who was present at the death
• An administrator from the hospital’s Bereavement Office
• The person making the funeral arrangements
See pages 9 and 10 for what you will need to know.
What you will need to know to register the death
To register the death you will need to make an appointment at the relevant Registration Office (see page 8) and, if possible, take with you the NHS medical card and birth certificate of the deceased patient to the appointment.
The Registrar will ask you for the following information (you may like to fill in the spaces below before the appointment):
This information will form an entry in the Death Register.
The date and place of death
Full name and surname / family name
Date and place of birth of the deceased
Address, including postcode of the deceased
The last full-time occupation of the deceased
Date and place of birth of surviving spouse / civil partner
Retired? Yes / No
If the deceased was a married woman, widow or a civil partner:
Maiden name / family name (if applicable)
The husband’s / wife’s / civil partner’s name even if deceased
The husband’s / wife’s / civil partner’s last occupation
Retired? Yes / No
Please ensure all spellings and identification details are accurate on the certificate at time of registration as any amendments can incur a significant correction fee.
You may also be asked for the reference number of any public sector pension (e.g. civil service, teacher or armed forces), apart from the state retirement pension.
After registering the death the Registrar will give you a green form to give to your chosen funeral director which authorises them to take the deceased into their care at the funeral home.
You will also receive the death certificate, which you will have to pay for. You can buy additional certificates at the same time or order online at a later date.
Location of Bereavement Office at Blackpool Victoria Hospital
BEREAVEMENT OFFICE
The Bereavement Office is located on the main corridor near the Pathology Department. You may park in the East Park Drive car park where there are two spaces (labelled ‘Bereavement Office parking only’) adjacent to the Breast Care Centre.
Bereavement Office Open:
Blackpool Victoria Hospital Monday to Friday Whinney Heys Road 9.00am to 3.00pm
Blackpool FY3 8NR
Closed bank holidays Tel: 01253 953723 BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
Location of Fleetwood / St Annes Registration Offices
Fleetwood Registration Office
Fleetwood Library
North Albert Street
Fleetwood
FY7 6AJ
Tel: 0300 123 6705
BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
St Annes Registration Office The Library 254 Clifton Drive South St Annes FY8 1NR
Tel: 0300 123 6705 BY APPOINTMENT ONLY
For opening hours, visiting information and to book an appointment at either office, please visit: www.lancashire.gov.uk/births-marriages-and-deaths/ find-a-registration-office
‘Tell Us Once’ service
‘Tell Us Once’ brings together several organisations so that people do not need to notify them individually of the death.
To use ‘Tell Us Once’ the death must have been registered. The Registrar will give you information about the service when you go to register the death.
You can find further information at: www.gov.uk/tell-us-once
Tell Us Once links information between:
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• Local authorities
• Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• HM Passport Office
They do not inform the following organisations:
• Royal Mail
• Utilities
• TV Licensing
• Bank / building society
• Library cards / season tickets
• Insurance companies
• Rental companies
The role of the coroner
If a doctor is not able to issue a medical certificate for the cause of death - for example if the death was unexpected or they are unsure of the cause - a referral will be made to the coroner.
In this instance a Coroner’s Officer will contact the family of the person who has died for more information about their medical history. Once they have all the information they need, a decision can be made about what happens next; a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death may be issued after consideration by the coroner or there may be the need for a coroner’s post-mortem.
If the decision is made that a post-mortem is required, this is something that family members cannot refuse.
There are some infrequent cases where a doctor may request a post-mortem in order to further medical knowledge. In this instance the doctor would talk to the family and written consent would be required. This is known as a hospital postmortem.
If your loved one’s death is referred to the coroner, the Coroner’s Officer will make contact to ensure that you understand this process and are kept informed.
• Contact numbers
For Fylde and Blackpool residents: Blackpool Coroner’s Office: 01253 477128
For Wyre residents: Preston Coroner’s Office: 01772 536536
Visiting a loved one after they have died
It is your choice whether you would like to see your loved one again after they have died. You will usually have been offered the opportunity on the ward, but some families/carers may wish to spend more time with their loved one.
If your relative has died at Blackpool Victoria Hospital they will be transferred to the care of our mortuary team whilst arrangements are made. If you wish you can make an appointment to visit your loved one in our Bereavement Suite, however you may prefer to visit at your chosen funeral home where you can arrange an appointment more convenient to you.
To make an appointment with the Bereavement Suite, please contact the office on 01253 953723 (9.00am-3.00pm). Please be aware that out-of-hours or weekends visits are in exceptional circumstances only and can be arranged by contacting the ward directly on which the death occurred.
If your relative has died at Clifton Hospital visiting is only possible at your chosen funeral home.
NHS equipment
Please return NHS equipment to the loan store it was issued from or telephone 01253 476646 or Medequip (Preston) 01772 286573 for collection.
Wheelchairs issued by Preston Specialist Mobility
Rehabilitation Centre (SMRC) need to be returned to them. Please telephone 01772 716921 to arrange collection.
Medications can be returned to any local pharmacy.
Funeral arrangements
Funerals are unique to each person and the family. There are many options which your chosen funeral director will talk with you about to ensure that your needs are met.
People in receipt of certain benefits may be eligible for financial assistance with funeral costs. For information on eligibility and to either apply online or download a paper form, please visit www.gov.uk/browse/benefits/bereavement or telephone the relevant department listed below:
Funeral Expenses Payment (form SF200): 0800 151 2012
The Social Fund (funeral loan, form SF500): 0800 169 0140
Bereavement Support Payment (form BSP1): 0800 731 0469
Pension / allowance arrangements
Any queries regarding pensions and allowances can be directed to the Pension Service: 0800 731 0469 (MondayFriday, 8am-6pm) or visit www.gov.uk for information.
If the deceased was in receipt of a war pension please telephone the Veterans UK dedicated bereavement line on 0800 169 3458 or visit the website www.veterans-uk.info for information.
You will need the pension information and National Insurance number of the deceased and next of kin.
Grief
Every person feels differently when a loved one dies. There is no right or wrong way to feel. Some will prefer to deal with their feelings on their own, while others seek support from friends, a person or a group of people who have had similar experiences of grief. Others may prefer to contact a person with professional training such as a counsellor or a psychologist.
What is important is that support is available and it is normal to need support in coming to terms with your loss. If you would like to speak to someone, contact the Swan Bereavement Support Team (details on page 3). There are also various organisations locally who can offer you further support or counselling. Some of these are listed on pages 21-24.
Regardless of your religious beliefs you may also like to seek the support of a spiritual advisor. The hospital chaplain can put you in touch with a minister of your denomination or religion. You can contact the Chaplaincy Team on 01253 953876.
LeDeR
People with a learning disability are often vulnerable and face challenges in accessing the healthcare that they need. The learning from deaths – people with a learning disability and autistic people (LeDeR) is a national programme which was set up to improve the health of people with a learning disability and reduce health inequalities. Every person with a learning disability whose death is notified to LeDeR will have an initial review of the health and social care they received prior to their death. More focused reviews may be completed when there is a need. For more information please visit: https://www. england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/improving-health/learningfrom-lives-and-deaths/
