Someone I care about has died in Hospital. What do I do next?
Version: 1 September 2025
We acknowledge the sadness felt following the death of a loved one and would like to offer our sincere condolences to you.
When someone dies there are many things to do often at a time of great personal distress. This booklet will help guide you on decisions and arrangements you have to make over the coming days and weeks.
Please do not attend the hospital unless advised to do so.
The Bereavement Officer will contact you by phone the following working day after the death has occurred. If Monday is a bank holiday, this will be the next working day.
The Bereavement Officer’s role is to support you in this incredibly difficult time. They will:
• guide you on the next steps of the process
• advise you on how to register the death
• raise any compliments, concerns or complaints you may have about the care received
• signpost you to further resources and help
Bereavement Office 01423 559429
hdft.bereavement@nhs.net
If the phone is busy, then please leave a message and the Bereavement Officer will get in touch as soon as possible. If there is a delay, be assured that in the meantime we will be coordinating with staff to complete all relevant documents.
Please note that all documentation is electronic so you will not need to collect them in person.
The Medical Examiner will advise you or the nominated point of contact by telephone when the MCCD has been completed and electronically sent to the Registry Office. The Medical Examiner will advise when you can then arrange a face to face appointment with the Registrar.
Medical Examiners are senior NHS doctors who, after completing specialist training, work part-time in this role. Their job is to give an independent view of causes of death and the care provided (except which have to be investigated by a coroner, see page 8).
Medical Examiners and Medical Examiners Officers offer families and carers of the person who died an opportunity to ask questions or raise any concerns about the causes of death or about the care the person received before their death.
Please note, if the death is referred to the Coroner there will be a delay in the certificate being issued. The Medical Examiner will guide you through this process.
Medical Examiner Office
01423 559274
(during office hours only excluding Bank Holidays).
If your loved one still had property or valuables in hospital that you have not taken, the General Office will contact you to arrange their return or collection. If your relative was cared for at Ripon Hospital, the ward team will contact you directly.
General Office
Harrogate District Hospital
Lancaster Park Road
Harrogate
HG2 7SX
01423 553313 (during office hours excluding bank holidays)
Ripon Community Hospital
Firby Lane
Ripon
HG4 2PR
01423 542912
Sometimes there are unavoidable delays in the issuing of the MCCD. In these circumstances the person’s body cannot be released immediately and a delay may be expected.
The main causes of such delays are:
• When the death takes place at the weekend or a public holiday. Staff will endeavour at all times to assist in the fulfilling of any particular religious requirements you may have in relation to funeral practices. If you need to proceed quickly ask the ward staff to contact the Clinical Site Manager to seek further assistance.
• When the death is reported to the Coroner – see page 8.
• When the funeral is to take place out of England or Wales. An ‘Out of England’ order will need to be issued to you by the Coroner before proceeding. A ‘Free from Infection’ Certificate must be issued by the hospital prior to transportation. Your funeral director can arrange this.
You may wish to visit the mortuary, particularly if there are relatives and friends who also wish to say goodbye.
Visits are by appointment ONLY and these can be arranged by telephoning 01423 885959
Weekdays 08:00 -15:30: ask the automated system for ‘Mortuary’
Weekend or Out of Hours: ask the automated system for ‘Clinical Site Manager’
Funeral Directors will also make arrangements for you to visit your loved one upon request in their own Chapel of Rest, should you prefer.
Death can only be registered by the following people:
• A relative or partner.
• A personal representative of the person who has died.
• Someone who was present at the death.
• An occupier of the house where the death occurred or official from the public building where the death occurred (e.g. the hospital).
• The person making the arrangements with the funeral director.
The death can be registered at any of the eight Registration Offices in North Yorkshire.
The closest Register Office to this hospital is:
Harrogate Register Office
Bilton House, 31 Park Parade, Harrogate HG1 5AG
You can book an appointment online or by telephone once you have been notified by the Medical Examiner that the MCCD has been completed.
Tel: 0300 131 2131 www.northyorks.gov.uk/death
In addition to the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, the registrar will ask about:
• Dates and places of birth and death.
• Full name and marital status.
• Home address.
• Last occupation (even if retired).
• If married – the date of birth of the surviving partner.
• If female – maiden name, husband’s full name and occupation.
The Registrar will then issue you with two forms:
• A green form for the Funeral Director
• A white form for the Department for Work and Pensions (if needed)
There is no charge for registering a death however there is a charge for additional certified copies of the death certificate. You will need certified copies to send to banks, building societies, insurance companies etc. as most organisations will not accept photocopies.
For details on ‘Tell Us Once’ service and additional information you may require, please see page 14.
The death will be reported to the Coroner if it has resulted from or occurred in any of these circumstances:
• Cause of death is unknown, suspicious or unnatural.
• A death that occurred during or soon after undergoing a medical procedure.
You or your nominated point of contact will be notified if a Coroner referral has been made.
The Coroner is responsible for establishing the cause of death. They are 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 deceased. This is a legal formality and is not intended to cause any concern. They 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 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.
Coroner’s Officer
The Old Courthouse 3 Racecourse Lane
Northallerton
DL7 8QZ
Tel: 01609 533843
Under the Human Tissue Act, written consent must be given from the deceased before death. Consent cannot be given by anyone else after their death.
Human Tissue Authority www.hta.gov.uk
If you are aware consent is in place for body or tissue donation, please let the Bereavement Officer know as soon as possible.
Organ and Tissue Donation
Organ Donation
Donation of organs from the body can only be considered before death occurs and is only possible when a patient is in certain hospital areas such as the Intensive Care Unit or the Emergency Department.
For more information on Organ and Tissue donation: www.organdonation.nhs.uk 0800 432 0559
Tissue Donation
When a relative/friend dies at home or in hospital it may be possible for them to donate tissues for transplant or research. Donated tissues such as skin, bone, tendons and heart valves can dramatically improve people’s lives and eye donation can restore sight. You may receive a call from a specialist nurse to discuss the option of tissue donation.
Donation can take place within 24 hours after someone dies. A specialist nurse will explain the process and discuss consent with you before any donation takes place.
If your relative/friend had expressed a wish to donate or you would like to discuss this further, please speak to the nursing staff or call NHS Blood and Transplant Tissue Donation on 0800 432 0559 to speak to a specialist nurse.
www.nhsbt.nhs.uk
You may already know which Funeral Director you would like to use. You can contact them at any time to inform them of your loss and to begin to make arrangements.
The release of your loved one, to the care of your Funeral Directors will be arranged between the Mortuary and your Funeral Directors.
The Funeral Director will advise you on registration of death and discuss forms and certificates involved, as well as making necessary arrangements. They can arrange for the notice of death to be announced in the local newspapers.
Further Information:
• Any local websites or local media
• National Association of Funeral Directors
Tel: 0121 711 1343 www.nafd.org.uk
• The British Institute of Funeral Directors
Tel: 0800 032 2733 www.bifd.org.uk
• The National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors
Tel: 0345 230 6777 www.saif.org.uk
You can ask for an estimate of costs in advance and if you would like, you can ask other Funeral Directors for quotes so that you can compare prices. Most Funeral Directors will give you a price list on request, including flowers, notices in local papers, church and crematorium fees and memorials. They will also be happy to discuss specific wishes that your loved one or you may have for the funeral.
If death occurred away from home you may contact one of your local Funeral Directors who will arrange for your loved one to be transferred back to their home area.
You may not wish to involve a Funeral Director. Please see below a list of organisations that can help make alternative arrangements.
The Natural Death Centre
This organisation publishes a guide to making your own funeral arrangements and planning green funerals.
In The Hill House
Watley Lane
Twyford
Winchester, SO21 1QX 01962 712 690
www.naturaldeath.org.uk
Burial and Cremation Services (Harrogate Borough Council) will give you advice and support if you wish to arrange your own service or ceremony.
Bereavement Services Manager
Stonefall Cemetery
Harrogate HG3 1DE 01423 883523
www.northyorks.gov.uk/births-deaths-marriages/death/ bereavement-advice-and-support
Your loved one may have left instructions on their wishes after death and the type of funeral they would like. Such instructions may concern cremation or burial (whether in a graveyard, green burial site or woodland), religious or non-religious service and any information about who might conduct the service.
If no plans have been made then it is for the Executor of the Will or the nearest relative to decide.
There are varying types of service which can be arranged for your loved one. The Hospital Chaplains are available to offer advice upon request. The Funeral Directors will also be available to guide and help you with the decisions you need to make.
If you receive a means tested benefit from the Department for Work and Pensions or Working/Child Tax Credit, you may be entitled to some assistance for the burial or cremation of your relative.
The adviser will be able to help you claim for funeral expenses payments and any other bereavement benefits you may be entitled to.
You may also qualify for Bereavement Support Payment if you are under State Pension Age and are the spouse or civil partner of the deceased. If you were living together as though you were married with the person who has died and had a child where child benefit is in payment, you may also qualify.
You do not have to be in receipt of a means tested benefit to qualify for Bereavement Support Payment.
For further information:
• Department for Work and Pensions Bereavement Service helpline 0800 151 2012 www.gov.uk/funeral-payments www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment
• Quaker Social Action www.quakersocialaction.org.uk
Probate is a document released by the Probate Registry confirming that an Executor has the right to wind up the person’s estate. The estate is the house, money and savings left behind by someone who has died. If the estate is small then probate may not be necessary. Getting advice from Citizens Advice Bureau may be useful.
If there is no Will then speaking to a Solicitor may be helpful. Most Solicitors will offer up to half an hour free legal advice.
During an appointment to register a death, the registrar will explain the service so you can use it after the death is registered. This service is optional and is free.
The registrar will take the information needed from you to produce a ‘Capture letter’ with a unique reference number for the Tell Us Once Service. You will then be able to contact Tell Us Once, online or by phone to provide all the details for the relevant departments and services.
You can also use this service if the coroner has given you a coroner’s certificate of the fact of death, otherwise known as an interim death certificate.
Information you will need
You will need to know the following information about the person who has died:
• Their National Insurance number and date of birth
• Their driving licence or driving licence number
• Their passport or passport number
• Blue badge, library card or bus pass etc.
If you have any questions or require any further information, please do not hesitate to ask.
In addition to the previous page there may be other organisations to contact, where Tell Us Once wouldn’t apply. Please use the following as guidance to see if you have contacted everyone you need.
Executors of the estate (Will)
Priest, Vicar, Minister or Faith Leader
Residential or nursing home
Family doctor
Any hospital your loved one was attending
Inland Revenue
Place of work (Occupational pension)
Solicitor
Bank, giro, credit cards, building society
Insurance companies
Motor insurance
Electricity, gas, telephone, water companies
Social services (Home helps, home care)
Royal Mail, newsagent and milk deliveries
Landlord, Housing Department
Schools, college or university
Careline (personal alarm service)
Cancel any appointments
Community Equipment Service
Social Media / Email account
The Hospital Chaplains are available to support you and to offer pastoral, spiritual and religious care to all patients, family members and carers. They are there for everyone regardless of their faith or beliefs.
Sometimes families may wish their own faith leader or representative to be contacted and the Chaplains can facilitate this if requested. They also have contacts with leaders of a wide variety of religious traditions, who can be called upon if needed.
The Chaplains are available Monday to Friday during working hours. Outside of these hours, you are welcome to contact your own faith leader if you have one.
Harrogate District Hospital has a peaceful Multi-Faith Centre which is open 24 hours a day and is located on the ground floor near the Littondale ward.
These facilities are for everyone.
There are also Books of Remembrance for adults and children or babies. Please contact the Chaplains to organise this.
Hospital Chaplains
Tel: 01423 553045
As adults we feel the need to protect our children from things that we might find difficult. It is easy to assume children will not understand death and bereavement, or that it will be too upsetting for them.
However, we can often underestimate a child’s ability to cope. Like adults, children find it harder to cope if they are not told what is happening and can be more frightened by their own imagination.
Children should be told facts in a simple manner, using appropriate words, e.g. dead, rather than lost or asleep.
Give them plenty of time to ask questions and offer lots of love and reassurance. It is helpful for adults to share feelings with children, including sadness. By doing so they learn that it is natural to feel sad when someone dies. Children often like to draw pictures or write stories as part of their way of saying goodbye.
People do not always find it easy to talk about death. You may feel that you cannot show your emotions or are expected to put on a brave face. However, talking about your feelings often helps. If you do not feel able to confide in a friend or religious leader, your doctor may be able to help.
We have compiled the following list of contact numbers of various organisations to offer you support.
Do try to look after yourself and take extra care. Allow yourself time to work through your grief as this is an important part of your future wellbeing.
Local Support Organisations
Just B Bereavement Support
Just B @ Starbeck
Hookstone Oval
Harrogate
HG2 8QE
01423 814 480 www.justb.org.uk
Just ‘B’ is a free bereavement support service that exists to offer people living in Harrogate and district a safe and confidential space to understand and express their grief. Just ‘B’ offers practical support to children, young people and adults who have been bereaved.
Cruse Bereavement Care
Cruse Bereavement Care offers help to all bereaved people by providing counselling, advice and information on practical problems. Cruse has a wide range of booklets and helpful leaflets. There is a national and a local branch.
PO Box 800
Richmond
Surrey
TW9 1RG
0808 808 1677 www.cruse.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Care’s youth involvement project: www.hopeagain.org.uk
At a Loss
Helping the bereaved to receive the support that they need. www.ataloss.org
Age UK England
7th Floor, One America Square
17 Crosswall
London
EC3N 2LB
0800 678 1602
www.ageuk.org.uk
Samaritans
The Samaritans offer a telephone helpline for people in despair. Tel: Freephone 116 123
www.samaritans.org
Sometimes it’s easier to write down your thoughts and feelings. It can help you understand them better. The Samaritans aim to respond to emails to jo@samaritans.org within 24 hours.
The Terrence Higgins Trust
To inform, help and advise on AIDS and HIV infection, it also offers counselling and support to people who have lost friends, relatives or parents through AIDS.
0808 802 1221
www.tht.org.uk
Widowed & Young
Provides a self-help network across the UK to those who are bereaved through losing their partner/spouse when aged 50 or under, offering peer to peer emotional and practical support. www.widowedandyoung.org.uk
Child Bereavement UK
A charity that has dual focus of training professionals who work with families and children affected by death which also produce excellent resources that can be used by those who are bereaved.
0800 0288840
www.childbereavementuk.org
Child Death Helpline
Helpline support for anyone affected by the death of a child irrespective of the age of the child, the relationship or the time since death.
0800 282 986
www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk
This is a nationwide self-help group for parents who have lost a child of any age, including as an adult. This is a befriending organisation rather than one offering counselling.
Kilburn Grange
Priory Park Road
London
NW6 7UJ
0345 123 2304 www.tcf.org.uk
Winstons Wish
A charity that supports grieving children and young people after the death of someone. 08088 020 021 www.winstonswish.org
We need your Feedback
Across the Harrogate and Rural District area we are constantly trying to improve the quality of care we deliver to dying patients, and the care given to their families and friends. To find out more about this, we ask for the views of people who have been close to someone who has died, about the care the patient received in the last days of life, and the support their family and friends received.
If you wish to provide such feedback, please follow the link below to the Harrogate and Rural District Bereaved Relatives Survey: www.hdft.nhs.uk/survey.
All information entered is sent to Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust, the organisation running the survey, and will be strictly confidential. No one will be identifiable in the report produced. There is absolutely no obligation to complete the survey; it is entirely voluntary, or you can ask someone else who may be better placed to complete it if you prefer.
Should you have any questions or concerns about the care you or your family member or friend received and would like to speak to someone, please contact a member of the organisation or healthcare team which looked after them.
Please call the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust Patient Experience Team on 01423 555499 or alternatively email hdft.patientexperience@nhs.net.
Harrogate and Rural District Bereaved Relatives Survey
Please help us improve the quality of care we provide by completing our survey.
Ref: Harrogate District Hospital Bereavement Book Published Date: September 2025 Review Date: September 2028
The Hospital 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 Hospital is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide.
It is distressing to deal with a bereavement and unsolicited mail can be insensitive and destructive during a grieving process.
By scanning the below QR code on your phone or visiting www.stopmail.co.uk, we are able to securely share this information with mailing organisations and under the Data Protection Act the information will not be used for any other purpose.
Other benefits reduce the possibility of identity fraud, such as assumed identity and you will only have to supply the information once.
This publication has been jointly developed between ourselves and the hospital. 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, Broughton Way, Whitehills, Blackpool, Lancashire FY4 5QN
832400 enquiries@rns.co.uk
