Firstly, NHS Humber Health Partnership would like to offer condolences to you, your family, and friends at this difficult time. This booklet is provided to help you with the arrangements that need to be made over the coming days and weeks.
It is designed to provide information and advice on the main issues to be addressed immediately following a death. It also gives guidance on who can help and where further information can be obtained. It explains procedures such as registering the death and arranging the funeral, some of which have changed significantly.
How people deal with grief can vary greatly from one individual to another. Information relating to the effects of and dealing with grief can be found in a separate booklet entitled “Coping with Grief” included within this bereavement pack.
We hope that you find the enclosed information useful. However, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Please feel free to call the Medical Examiner Office as soon as you are able.
NHS Humber Health Partnership Bereavement Pathway
Patient dies in Hospital.
Ward doctor is aware of cause of death and able to issue medical cause of death certificate (MCCD).
A Medical Examiner Officer will contact you to discuss the process and any concerns you may have about the care the deceased received prior to their death.
Once the MCCD has been completed, they will contact you to discuss the cause of death and discuss registration.
Patient cleared for collection. Funeral provider notified.
MCCD approved, sent electronically to Registrars.
Appointment made to register the death. Relative to attend Register Office in person to register the death.
Paperwork (green form) sent to funeral provider to allow the funeral to take place.
Relatives contact funeral provider.
Ward doctor is unable to provide a cause of death, or circumstance of death require a referral to HM Coroner.
Coroner agrees for MCCD to be issued.
Post Mortem may be required.
If no further investigation needed Coroner notifies Registrars of cause of death. **
** If the Coroner needs to make more enquiries, wait for results from tests or decides to open an Inquest, the Coroner will issue paperwork to allow a funeral and interim death certificate. A Coroners Officer will keep family updated.
THE MEDICAL EXAMINER OFFICE
You can be confident the medical examiner, and their team, will provide an independent review, as they will only work on deaths of people where they or their staff have not provided care for the patient.
Once completed, a scanned image of the MCCD is sent electronically to the Registrars.
One of the MEOs or the Registrar will contact you to make an appointment to register the death.
Please contact the office if you have not received a phone call within 2 working days of the death of your loved one.
Medical Examiner Office Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm opening hours: Bank Holiday Mondays 9am to 12pm
Contact Details:
Hull Royal Infirmary - 01482 482157 / 482158 hyp-tr.medicalexaminers@nhs.net
You do not need to wait for the completed paperwork before contacting your chosen funeral director/provider to discuss arrangements.
BEREAVEMENT SERVICES
Please contact Bereavement Services for viewings in the hospital Chapel of Rest, keepsakes, and queries regarding property.
The Medical Examiner Office is your first point of contact for all queries relating to the death certification process including referrals to HM Coroner.
The mortuary and bereavement staff will ensure your loved one is cared for and transferred to your chosen funeral director once the paperwork has been completed.
Viewings in the Chapel of Rest
Relatives may wish to see the person who has died whilst they remain in the care of the hospital, others may prefer to wait until the patient is in the care of the funeral director, and some may wish to remember them as they were. It is a personal choice.
Appointments are available between the hours of 1pm & 3.30pm, Monday to Friday. To make an appointment, please contact Bereavement Services at 01482 608924.
Viewing is strictly by appointment only.
Viewings are limited to immediate family. Other family members, friends and acquaintances are requested to pay their respects at the chosen funeral home, although discretion can be given in certain circumstances. Appointments can be made following a death at the weekend and must be arranged via the ward where the death occurred.
Keepsakes
If you wish, the staff caring for your loved one can arrange for keepsakes such as handprints or hair locks to be taken. Please speak to Bereavement Services or your chosen funeral director if you would like to arrange this.
CHAPLAINCY
The Chaplaincy Team offer support to all people, whatever their faith, religious affiliation, or beliefs.
The chaplains are also available to help you plan the funeral service for your loved one. Asking for chaplain’s support to plan the funeral service does not pre-suppose their involvement in the service itself, but you are free to discuss this with the chaplain if you wish.
The Chaplaincy are located on the first floor of the main entrance adjacent to the restaurant and offer multi-faith prayer rooms. Within the prayer rooms are our memorial books. If you would like to add a tribute to your loved one, please contact the Pastoral and Spiritual Care Team by email at hyp-tr.chaplaincy.team@nhs.net
Memorial services take place throughout the year, and details of these can be found on the Chaplaincy pages of the Trust website: https://www.hey.nhs.uk/chaplaincy
You may not feel that you wish to speak to a chaplain now, but if you would like to speak to the team in the future, simply call the chaplaincy service on 01482 885966 or switchboard 01482 875875.
DEATHS REFERRED TO THE CORONER
In some instances, the hospital doctor or medical examiner may need to refer the death to the coroner for legal reasons, and the hospital staff will advise you if this is to happen. This is usually when a doctor cannot issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).
Coroners are independent judicial officers and are required by law to establish a medical cause of death.
About one-third of all deaths in this country are referred to the coroner. This does not necessarily mean there is a need for a postmortem examination.
A death is referred to the coroner if:
• No precise cause of death can be established.
• It follows an operation, and it is possible that it could be due to a complication of surgery or anaesthetics.
• It is not thought to be from natural causes.
• It is due to an injury or fall; however it happened, or if an accident or negligence is alleged.
POST-MORTEM EXAMINATIONS
A post-mortem examination (also known as an autopsy) is the examination of a body after death. The aim of a post-mortem examination is to determine the cause of death.
CORONERS POST-MORTEM
The coroner may order a post-mortem examination when the cause of death is unknown or requires further investigation. The decision is at the discretion of the coroner. Consent from the relatives is not needed. Organs or tissues cannot be taken from the body for any purpose other than to establish the cause of death, and they cannot be retained longer than necessary.
If any tissues are taken at post-mortem, the Coroner’s Officer will inform you and provide the relevant documentation for completion.
HOSPITAL CONSENT POST-MORTEM
Following a death where a MCCD has been issued, the treating clinician may suggest a post-mortem examination to investigate the cause of death further and/or improve knowledge of the disease or the effectiveness of the treatment given. Verbal and written consent is required for a hospital post-mortem.
Sometimes a condition or disease may affect close family members, and a post-mortem examination could provide invaluable information.
Once verbal consent has been obtained, a member of the Mortuary & Bereavement Services Team will make arrangements for completion of the relevant legal documentation, discuss consent process and answer any questions you may have.
The post-mortem will only be carried out once the consent form has been completed and a mutually agreed period of time has elapsed, allowing you to withdraw consent should you wish.
Please be reassured that consenting to a hospital post-mortem will not cause any delays to the registration process or funeral arrangements.
POST-MORTEM - ORGAN AND TISSUE DONATION
Further information on post-mortem examinations can be obtained from the Human Tissue Authority at the following website: www.hta.gov.uk
If your relative would have wished to be an organ or tissue donor, please discuss with the ward or contact the Mortuary & Bereavement Services at the earliest opportunity to discuss. Organ donation is not always possible. However, tissue donation can be facilitated in some cases up to 36 hours after death.
Most people are aware that hundreds of lives are saved every year by donated organs. Often the circumstance of a death precludes the option of organ donation but donated tissues such as skin, bone, corneas, and heart valves can dramatically improve the quality of life for others and even save them.
There are a few things to consider if you would like to donate anything from your loved one:
• TIME – donation must take place within 24 hours after death for corneas and 48 hours for all other tissues.
• AGE – age restrictions may apply to certain tissues. This can be discussed if referral takes place.
• CHOICE – You can decide on the specific tissue you wish to be donated.
If you feel your relative would have wanted to help someone after their death by donating tissue, please let Mortuary & Bereavement Services or the ward know as soon as possible.
REGISTERING THE DEATH
Who can register a death?
A death should, where possible, be registered by a close relative* of the person who has died.
However, if no relatives are available, only certain people can register a death. In order of preference, these are:
• Someone who was present when the person died
• Someone who lives in the house where the person died
• Someone who is arranging the funeral, but not a funeral director.
*Please note that a ‘partner’ (someone you are not married to cannot legally be classed as a close relative for registration purposes).
WHEN AND WHERE TO REGISTER
The death should be registered in the registration district in which the death occurred within five days of receipt of the MCCD by the registrar. There are times when this may not be possible, such as when the death needs to be referred to the coroner.
The death must be registered in person. A death cannot be registered over the telephone or online. If the death occurred in Hull, you require an appointment at the Wilson Centre, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull to complete the registration.
The Medical Examiner Office will contact you when the MCCD has been completed, checked, and emailed to the registrars. The Medical Examiner Office will make you an appointment to register if able to do so, if not they will pass on next of kin contact details to the Register Office to enable the registrars to contact you to make an appointment to register the death.
The registrars cannot book an appointment to register the death until they have the information needed to confirm the medical cause of death. Sometimes additional information may be needed from the coroner to confirm the cause of death.
You can contact Hull Register Office by: emailing register.office@hullcc.gov.uk or calling 01482 300300.
The Register Office in Hull is located at: The Wilson Centre 1 Alfred Gelder Street Hull
HU1 2AG
REGISTER OFFICE LOCATION
REGISTERING A DEATH THAT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO THE CORONER
Once the coroner is satisfied that their enquiries have been completed, the coroner will issue paperwork to the registrars to enable the death to be registered. This paperwork will either confirm that the medical certificate of cause of death can be accepted or confirm that a post-mortem has taken place.
If the Coroner’s investigation is going to take time and this will delay registration, the coroner will issue paperwork that can be used to sort financial affairs and make funeral plans without the death having been registered. This paperwork is known as an interim death certificate. The death will still need to be registered when the coroner’s investigations have been completed. The registrar will contact you when this is possible.
Coroners Court & Office
The Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull HU1 2AA 01482 613011
INFORMATION NEEDED TO REGISTER THE DEATH
If the registrar has the medical certificate of cause of death (or information provided by the coroner), they do not need to see other documents to complete the registration.
The registrar will obtain the information that needs to be recorded by asking questions.
The registrar will ask for the:
• Date of death
• Place of death
• The deceased person’s full name, and if they were known by any other names.
• Maiden name, if applicable.
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Occupation
• Usual address
• If the person who died was married (or a widow/widower) the registrar will also ask for their partner’s full name, date of birth, occupation and if they were retired.
It is important that the information provided is accurate. Changes and corrections requested after the registration has been completed may incur additional costs and take time to complete.
The person completing the registration must check the register page before signing it as an accurate record.
The registrar will ask you to check spellings, so it may be useful to have documents such as the deceased’s driving licence, passport, birth certificate, marriage certificate or council tax bill to refer to when confirming details.
More information about registering a death and the questions the registrar will ask you can be found at www.hull.gov.uk/regoffice
OBTAINING A DEATH CERTIFICATE
You will be able to purchase copies of the death certificate after the registration has been completed. There is a fee of £12.50 for each certificate issued.
If you require additional certificates, you can purchase these online at any time after the registration for the same £12.50 fee per certificate.
Certificates can be ordered online at: www.hull.gov.uk/regoffice
A death certificate may be required by the deceased person’s bank, mortgage, pension, or insurance provider before they can make payments, close, or change records.
The registrars will also issue the paperwork that is needed to enable a funeral to take place. This paperwork is issued free of charge and can be sent directly to your chosen funeral provider.
TELL US ONCE SERVICE
The Tell Us Once service is a government service that helps you to notify many government organisations such as HMRC (Tax Office), Home Office (Passport), DVLA (Driving Licence), DWP (Pensions and Benefits) and council departments (such as council tax, housing, and libraries) to tell them someone has died.
In some instances, the organisation or department will contact you and ask for more information but Tell Us Once means that you do not have to make that first contact.
After the registration is completed, the registrar will give you a unique access code and letter explaining how to access the Tell Us Once service online or over the telephone.
To ensure the right information is given to relevant organisations, it will be helpful (but not necessary) if you can provide any of the following details when completing the Tell Us Once Service after your appointment:
• The deceased person’s passport, or passport number (if they have one)
• The deceased person’s driving licence, or licence number (if they have one)
• Deceased person’s national insurance number
• Details of any benefits or services they were receiving, if any
• Name of the person dealing with their estate
ARRANGING THE FUNERAL
You must contact a funeral provider as soon as possible. This may be done before obtaining the death certificate or registering the death.
The funeral provider may be prepared to visit your home and will advise you on the necessary arrangements. Funeral costs and service provision can vary from one funeral provider to another, and it is advisable to obtain more than one quote to compare costs. However, there is no legal requirement to use the services of a funeral provider, and you can arrange the funeral yourself.
Sometimes a person may have expressed a wish about their own funeral, whether they prefer burial or cremation. Others close to them may know this or wishes may be written in a Will. The executor of the Will should be able to provide clarification.
Unless you have already done so, the funeral provider will normally contact your local vicar, minister, priest, or religious leader, or you may prefer to have a humanist or celebrant conduct the service. Whichever you use, they will discuss all options available to you.
The funeral provider will go through all the individual costs with you and provide a written quotation detailing all the fees.
Funeral costs
If you arrange the funeral, you are responsible for the costs, so you must ensure sufficient funds are available if you have concerns regarding the funding of the funeral.
Funeral costs may be paid in several ways including:
• Funds from the estate of the deceased’s Funeral pre-payment plan
• Funds from life insurance or pension scheme
• Deceased’s bank or building society may agree to release funds to cover funeral costs
• Costs covered by yourself or other family members which may be recovered from the estate
HELP - PAYING FOR THE FUNERAL
If you are finding it difficult to pay for the funeral, you may be entitled to receive a Social Fund Funeral Payment from the Department for Work and Pensions (SF200), providing that you or your partner receive one of the following payments:
• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit
• The disability or severe disability element of the Working Tax Credit
• Child Tax Credit
Please look at the following website, which contains lots of useful information on who can claim; how to claim and if you are eligible to claim - https://www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies
There is also a Bereavement Service Helpline which you can apply over the telephone, and someone will help guide you through the process. The telephone number is 0800 731 0469 (Monday – Friday, 8 am – 6 pm)
STOPPING UNWANTED MAIL
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 only take a few minutes to complete. Alternatively, complete the leaflet enclosed in the bereavement pack. This can be returned in the post.
This free-of-charge service provided by the Bereavement Support Network will actively reduce 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.
FURTHER ADVICE AND SUPPORT
There are many other organisations which provide a variety of practical information and/or emotional support and advice for all ages following bereavement. We have listed on the following pages just a few that cover a wide range of different types of bereavement. We hope you find these useful. If you do not see the type of support you require, then please feel free to ring our Bereavement Service on telephone number 01482 608924, and we will try our very best to point you in the right direction for your specific needs.
BEREAVEMENT SUPPORT
If you have experienced bereavement within the last year and are struggling to manage or come to terms with the loss, then specialist wellbeing workers can help you by providing a listening ear and one-to-one emotional support.
Support may include:
• Emotional support and reassurance using theories and models of bereavement
• Practical support – signposting, help with arrangements, accompanying to appointments
• Creative, emotional support, for example, memory boxes and craft ideas
• Therapeutic support – resources and advice around stress control and anxiety management, either individually or in a group setting.
LOCAL SUPPORT
East Riding Of Yorkshire:
East Riding Bereavement Service – Support for individuals who live in the East Riding area who have been bereaved within the past 12 months. Support provided is 12 one to one sessions. Referrals are welcome from any source and can be made on the HEY mind website (heymind.org.uk).
If you would like more information please get in touch on 01482 240200 or email info@heymind.org.uk
Let’s Talk - Providing bereavement support for those living in the Hull area.
Tel: 01482 247 111 www.letstalkhull.co.uk
Dawn Bereavement Support Group - Offers peer support to adults bereaved in our hospitals.
Tel: 01482 461260 www.dawnbereavement.org
Bereavement Activity Programmes - Walking and yoga sessions to support adults who are bereaved. heather@fitmums.org.uk www.fitmums.org.uk/support/together-in-grief
Together Bereaved by Suicide service - available to anyone who is affected by suicide. This covers Hull, East Riding, North & North East Lincolnshire. Providing one to one support with an experienced volunteer with lived experience. Group support is available with others who are also affected by suicide. Referrals are welcome from any source and can be made on the HEY mind website. 01482 240200
Hull and East Yorkshire Mind - We are Hull & East Yorkshire Mind, the mental health charity (heymind.org.uk)
OTHER SUPPORT ORGANISATIONS
Cruse Bereavement - Offering counselling and support by trained volunteers and can provide information on practical issues surrounding bereavement. Tel: 0808 808 1677 www.cruse.org.uk
Bereavement Advice Centre - A national organisation that offers advice on all different aspects of bereavement. 0800 634 9494 www.bereavementadvice.org
Samaritans - A confidential emotional support service for anyone experiencing feelings of distress or despair for any reason. 116 123 (Freephone number) www.samaritans.org
Dove House Hospice - Bereavement advice for families. 01482 784343
www.dovehouse.org.uk
WAY Widowed and Young - Self-help support for men and women under 50 whose spouse or partner has died. They also offer support for their children. www.widowedandyoung.org.uk
Age UK - Support for the elderly. 01482 324644 www.ageuk.org.uk
Child Death Helpline - A helpline for anyone of any age affected by the death of a child. Calls are answered by other bereaved parents. Lines open every evening of the year 7.00pm - 10.00pm. 0800 282 986 or (0800 800 6019 free for main network mobiles) www.childdeathhelpline.org.uk
Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide - Support and advice for people affected by the sudden loss of someone. www.uksobs.com
SAMM Support After Murder and Manslaughter - Offers help through befriending, for people who have suffered the loss of someone as a result of murder or manslaughter.
Tel: 0121 472 2912
Text: 07342 888570 www.samm.org.uk
CRY - (Cardiac risk in the young)
Offers support to families who have lost an apparently healthy young person to sudden cardiac death. 01737 363222
www.c-r-y.org.uk
Epilepsy Bereaved
Offers support to those suffering loss due to epilepsy. 01235 772850
www.sudep.org
SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE
Winston’s Wish - Practical support and guidance for anyone concerned about a grieving child.
0808 802 0021 www.winstonswish.org
Cruse Young Persons Helpline
Specifically for young people.
0808 808 1677
www.hopeagain.org
Grief Encounter
Supporting bereaved children, young people and families. 0808 802 0111
www.griefencounter.org.uk
Childhood Bereavement Network - Information and support for parents and children. 0207 843 6309
www.childhoodbereavementnetwork.org.uk
Child Bereavement UK - Information and support for parents and children.
0800 02 888 40
www.childbereavementuk.org
The Forest Project - Bereavement support for children in a Forest setting.
Families Together Service - Support for children and families following the death of a parent. Helping families maintain normal routines with practical and emotional support.
Tel: 01482 447673 option 2
E-mail: administrator@hchfh.org.uk
Childline
Confidential service for children and young people. 0800 1111
Published Date: April 2025
Review Date: April 2027
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.
STOPPING JUNK MAIL
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.
