Help with your Bereavement
Information for relatives and friends
Bereavement Services
Helping families and friends with the administrative processes when someone dies at Hereford County Hospital
If you are visiting this page after the loss of your relative or friend at Wye Valley Trust please accept our sincere condolences.
A death, whether expected or not, can be difficult for everyone involved and many people are unsure of what to do afterwards.
Making contact
Relatives are advised to telephone the Trust’s Bereavement Officer as soon as is practically possible, preferably later that day or the next working day after 11am Monday to Friday on telephone number 01432 364166. Should you reach an answerphone message during working hours it is likely the Bereavement Officer will be helping another family. Please leave your contact details and someone will return your call at the earliest opportunity.
Our Bereavement Service provides information and guidance and is here to help support families with the administrative processes required after someone dies. We also offer guidance and signposting to local support services if needed.
What happens next?
Administrative process
You will not be required to come to the hospital for any administrative process. Our Bereavement Officer will ask you for your contact details, whether the deceased person is to receive a burial or cremation, the name of the funeral director you would like to use, and whether you are willing to give verbal consent for your loved one to be taken into the care of your chosen funeral director once all the appropriate processes have been completed. Any information you are unable to provide on the initial call can be supplied as soon as known.
All personal belongings will be returned to you via your appointed funeral director. Should you require an important item, arrangements can be made with the Bereavement Officer for this to be collected.
The above information will then be passed on to the Trust’s Medical Examiner Service who will arrange for a doctor who was involved in the care of your loved one to complete a death certificate (MCCD – Medical Certificate of Cause of Death) and any other associated paperwork. A member from the Medical Examiners Office will then contact you and advise you of the cause of death and discuss any queries you may have surrounding the care provided.
The certificate, with your contact details, will then be electronically sent to Hereford Register Office who will contact you to make an in person appointment to legally register the death and issue you with a death certificate.
Once all paperwork has been completed the Bereavement Service will liaise with your funeral director to enable them to take your loved one into their care.
It is difficult to give an exact timescale for the above processes but please be reassured that all services work towards completion in a timely manner to the best of their abilities. Any untoward delays will be clearly communicated.
How to choose a funeral director
You can contact a Funeral Director you would like to instruct as soon as you feel ready to do so. There are a few things you might like to consider when choosing which Funeral Director to use, from meeting the funeral requirements that your loved one had requested, costs and any other wishes you require. We as a Trust are unable to make any recommendations. Usually a personal recommendation from a friend or family member can be helpful.
However we are grateful to the local Funeral Directors who advertise their services in this Bereavement Booklet, by doing so cover the cost of this booklet.
These are a couple of hopefully useful links to finding a good and local Funeral Director to you: www.goodfuneralguide.co.uk www.yourfuneralchoice.com
Viewings
We would advise families who wish to see their loved ones to arrange this once they are in the care of the appointed funeral director. However, if this is not possible we may be able to accommodate a visit in the hospital mortuary at a mutually convenient time. Any such appointment should be arranged prior to travelling to the hospital to avoid any upset if we are not able to accommodate your request.
The Medical Examiner Service
Medical Examiners are senior doctors who provide independent and proportionate scrutiny of all deaths within the hospital environment. This improves the accuracy of the ‘Medical Certificate of Cause of Death,’ and provides the opportunity for the bereaved to ask any questions that they may have.
Dealing with the Coroner (if applicable)
If the Coroner has been contacted, it will be their decision, after considering the case, as to whether the hospital can issue the MCCD or whether a post mortem or inquest is needed. The Coroner has a legal right to request a post mortem even if this is contrary to the family’s wishes.
If a post mortem is not needed: the Coroner will inform the hospital doctor that they may complete the MCCD and send it to the Register Office.
If a post mortem is needed: in this circumstance the MCCD will not be sent from the hospital to the Register Office. The results will go to the Coroner in the first instance, who will liaise with the named next of kin of the person that has died. The Coroner will also make the necessary arrangements and give the Register Office the relevant forms needed to register the death.
Please tell your funeral director if the death has been reported to the Coroner, as they will liaise with the Coroner’s Officers on your behalf. You can telephone the Register Office to register the death.
Coroner’s inquest: when an inquest is to be held the MCCD cannot be issued. However an interim certificate, allowing for the funeral to take place, will normally be issued by the Coroner at the opening of any inquest. A Coroner’s certificate after the Inquest will then be issued by the Coroner, who will register the death and make copies available for the family.
Consented Hospital Post Mortem
The senior doctor responsible for the care of a deceased patient may ask for permission from the next of kin to carry out a post mortem examination. A post mortem is an important examination that aims to find out more about a person’s illness to advance medical knowledge. A consented post mortem cannot take place without the agreement of the next of kin.
The process of gaining consent is a detailed process and involves asking a number of questions to ensure the deceased person’s wishes, and those of the next of kin, are ascertained and respected. A copy of the consent form will be offered along with an NHS booklet providing additional information about the examination.
Please be assured that the post mortem examination will be carried out sympathetically and will not normally delay funeral arrangements. The Bereavement Team will be able to support you in making the decision that is right for you. It is entirely up to you whether or not to grant permission. The results of the examination will be discussed with you by the senior doctor responsible for the deceased person’s care.
Register Office
The death should be registered with the Registrar for births, deaths and marriages at the Register Office within 5 days of the death. There is no charge to register a death however there will be a charge for each death certificate you require.
It is the responsibility of the deceased’s relatives or the person making the funeral arrangements to register the death. It may be that you are not related to the person who has died but you were present at their death, this would qualify you to register the death.
Telephone: 01432 260565
Monday – Friday 9.00am – 4.00pm
The Registrar will need to know the following information relating to the deceased:
The date and place of death (including postcode)
The full name and surname the deceased was using at the time of their death
Any names currently being used or previously known by.
If the deceased was a woman her maiden name (in which she contracted her first marriage)
If the deceased was male or female
The deceased’s date and place of birth
Their most recent occupation (and if retired)
Their usual address (including postcode)
Whether the deceased was in receipt of a pension or allowance from public funds
If the deceased was married or in a civil partnership
Full name of spouse or civil partner (and if deceased)
The occupation (and if retired) of their spouse or civil partner
Their spouse or civil partner’s date of birth
Informant’s details: full name, address (including postcode) and relationship to the deceased, and whether present at the death
NHS Number (if available)
The Registrar will explain the following:
• A Green Form (9) – Certificate for burial or cremation, which will be needed by your funeral directors
• Death Certificates – there will be a fee for all copies of certificates. It is recommended that sufficient copies are obtained for probate, insurance policies, private pensions, savings accounts and investments. Further copies can be obtained at a later date, certificates ordered later don’t go up in price. All certificates, whenever bought, cost the same.
The Registrar can pass on the Blue Badges and Bus Passes for the deceased to the relevant Council Department. So please take these to your appointment if you wish the Registrar to do this on your behalf.
‘Tell
Us Once service’
‘Tell Us Once’ is a service that lets you report a death to most government organisations in one go. When you have registered the death, the Registrar will give you a unique reference number to access the ‘Tell Us Once’ service online or by phone.
To use this service you will need the deceased’s:
• Date of birth
• Driving licence number (if applicable)
• Passport number (if applicable)
• Details of any benefits or entitlements the deceased was getting
• Details of any local council services they were getting
• Name and address of their next of kin
• Name, address and contact details of the person dealing with their estate (property, belongings and money), known as the ‘executor’ or ‘administrator’
You need the permission from the next of kin, the executor, the administrator or anyone who was claiming joint benefits or entitlements with the deceased before you give their details.
Is there any Bereavement Care provided by the Hospital?
The Hospital Chaplaincy Service is there to provide pastoral, spiritual and religious care for patients and their relatives.
Both Bereavement Services and Chaplaincy staff are able to provide you with practical advice during the early days of your bereavement.
Both can also help to signpost you to find ongoing support from among a wide variety of local organisations including voluntary organisations, support groups, and groups within churches and faith communities.
Here to support you
We would like to reassure you that the above services are here to guide and support you through all the necessary processes and answer any queries you may have at this difficult time.
Christopher Barrett
Bereavement Officer
01432-364166
Monday-Friday 8.30-4.30pm (preferably calling in after 11am) Answer machine 24/7.
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
If you have any concerns or questions about the patient care received at the hospital, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge of the ward or department manager in the first instance, as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve issues quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help, you can contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on 01432 372986 or email: pals@wvt.nhs.uk.
Support and Advice
Please do not hesitate to contact the Bereavement Team for any further advice and signposted support.
Organ, Tissue and Body Donation
The law around organ donation in England has changed from 20th May 2020.
For more information please visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk/ uk-laws/organ-donation-law-in-england/ or call NHS Blood and Transplant on 0300 123 23 23.
Organ and tissue donation gives many families the option of making a difference to others, the gift of such a donation has the ability to help save or improve the lives of many other individuals. Sadly many people die in the UK whilst waiting for an organ or tissue to be available.
As the law has changed, it will mean that most people will be considered for organ donation when they die, unless they have opted out of the NHS Organ Donor Register. As family members you will still be asked about the donation of organs from your loved one.
People to inform
There are various people, companies and other interested parties who need to be informed of the death:
Legal / Financial
• Bank / Building Society / Credit Cards / Giro
• Solicitor
• Benefits Agency / Social Services
• Housing Department / Mortgage company
• Post Office (re-direct mail) Royal Mail Deliveries
• TV Licensing / Internet Provider
• Inland Revenue
• Newsagent / Delivery companies
• Utilities (Gas / Electric / Telephone / Water)
• Insurance Companies
• Credit Card Companies
• Employer (Occupational Pension) / Trade Union
• Rental Companies
• Driving Licence Centre (DVLA)
• Council Tax Offices
• Dentist / GP / Optician
• Executors of the Estate (Will) tick box
Stopping junk mail to the recently deceased
If someone you know has died, the amount of unwanted marketing post being sent to them can be greatly reduced which helps to stop painful daily reminders.
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 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 take only a few minutes to complete. Alternatively, ask the Bereavement Team for a leaflet that can be returned in the post.
This free of charge service provided by the Bereavement Support Network will actively reduce the 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, Stop Mail, a comparable service can also be accessed from the Bereavement Register or Deceased Preference Service if you would prefer to use them.
Support and advice
There are many individuals and groups on hand to help you come to terms with your grief, as well as offering practical assistance. Your GP can be a very important contact.
is a list of a few organisations you may find helpful.
Financial advice
Financial help may be available if you receive certain benefits. Contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) before making any arrangements.
Enquiries about financial assistance can be made by calling: 0800 731 0469.
If you are in receipt of certain benefits the bereavement service will give you a leaflet issued by the Department of Work and Pensions – this will explain fully any financial assistance you may be able to access.
Probate and legal advice
Probate is a document issued by the probate registry confirming that an executor has the right to wind up the estate of the person who has died. The ‘estate’ is the house, money and savings left by someone who has died (probate may not be necessary if the estate is small).
If you have difficulty dealing with the deceased’s estate or possessions seek advice from a solicitor or the Citizens Advice Bureau as soon as possible. If there is no Will, speaking with a solicitor may be helpful. Many solicitors are prepared to offer up to half an hour free legal advice.
If you need any further advice on probate please contact the Inheritance Tax and Probate helpline on 0300 123 1072 or access via: www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate
Reference: County Hospital (Hereford) Bereavement Booklet
Publication date: July 2024
Review date: July 2026
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.
HUMFRYS & SYMONDS
If you are dealing with the loss of a loved one, our friendly and e cient solicitors can lighten the load by assisting you with high quality advice and guidance.
Wills & Probate
Few of us want to think about a time when we won’t be around, but making a will is the best way of ensuring that our wishes, thoughts and feelings still matter when we’re gone. Whatever the size of your estate, we will make sure that your wishes are fully understood and recorded, and that the assets you’ve spent a lifetime working for are passed on to those you care most about.
WE CAN HELP YOU WITH:
Lasting Powers of Attorney
Our team has many years of collective experience in delivering high quality work in all matters relating to PROBATE and ESTATE ADMINISTRATION.
Managing a loved one’s a airs when they pass away is never easy and can be overwhelming. At Humfrys & Symonds, our specialist probate Solicitors can help you through this di cult process as quickly and e ciently as possible. For further information call our Wills and Probate team on
