Henstridge Office: 01963 362570
Gillingham Office: 01747 833757
The death of a loved one is a distressing experience to go through, so it may help you to know what to do first when someone dies. When a person dies there are many steps to follow including death certification and registration of death. The circumstances at the time of death will have a bearing on how the situation is handled. Therefore we advise you to speak with one of our funeral directors who will be able to help and guide you.
Below is some basic information which may help.
If the death was expected, you will need to call the deceased’s GP or out of hours service as soon as possible. If the death occurs in a Nursing Home, they will do this on your behalf. If the cause of death is known, the doctor will issue a Medical Cause of Death Certificate, allowing you to register the death. This should be done within 5 days. Please be aware that most Registrars require you to make an appointment.
You should also contact your chosen funeral director to arrange for them to bring your loved one into their care once the death has been verified by a health care professional.
If the death occurs in Hospital the hospital will inform the next of kin or near relative. Most Hospitals have a bereavement service and they will be able to advise you on the next steps regarding paperwork.
Your chosen funeral director will be able to liaise with the hospital direct to arrange for the safe transportation of your loved one into their care, once the necessary paperwork is complete.
If the death was unexpected, sudden or happened under suspicious circumstances, a coroner may become involved. The coroner will arrange for the deceased to be transported to the hospital mortuary to establish a cause of death. Once this has been established, the coroner will be able to issue the paperwork required to register the death. In certain circumstances the coroner may need to open an inquest into the death.
For more information and advice on what to do when someone dies, please do not hesitate to contact either our Henstridge or Gillingham offices.