Lewisham and Greenwich
Help and advice in the rst few days following a death in hospital
A brief guide for bereaved relatives and friends
Queen Elizabeth Hospital
On behalf of staff working here at Queen Elizabeth Hospital we would like to extend our condolences on your bereavement.
The NHS cares for many people at the end of their lives and that care does not end when they die. Bereavement services are a vital part of the service the NHS gives to those in its care and to their bereaved families and friends. Providing a high quality bereavement service which respects the dignity of the person who has died and their families is a key part of effective support for bereaved families.
This is a time of grief and sorrow but it is unfortunately also the time during which a number of matters must be dealt with. These can prove confusing and bewildering and we hope that this booklet will be helpful.
Bereavement Office
The death of someone you love can be overwhelming, and you may find it difficult to know what to do next.
The bereavement office is informed of all deaths in the hospital and is able to help bereaved family and friends through the immediate administrative process following death.
There is a legal process following death so please make sure you contact the bereavement office before making an appointment to register the death. If you do not do this the registrars of births and deaths will be unable to complete the registration and you will then need to make a second appointment.
Please contact the bereavement office about how to obtain the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death.
Please ring 020 8836 4662.
The bereavement office is open Monday to Friday 8am - 4pm (closed at weekends and bank holidays)
Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
The medical team is responsible for completing a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). This will take place after the death has been reviewed by the independent Medical Examiner.
In some circumstances, a death may need to also be referred to the Coroner for further investigation.
Medical Examiner Service
The Medical Examiner Service consists of Medical Examiners who are supported by Medical Examiner Officers.
Medical Examiners are senior NHS doctors who give an independent view on causes of death and the care provided, they also ensure the information contained on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is correct and any referrals to the Coroner are done in a timely and appropriate manner to avoid delays. Medical Examiners will never look into the causes of death of a person they provided care for.
The Medical Examiner or Medical Examiner Officer will contact the designated family member, to explain what has been written on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and give them an opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns about the causes of death, or about the care the person received before their death.
Medical Examiners and Medical Examiner Officers will discuss your feedback, questions and concerns. If they consider any issues with care need further investigation, they will refer these to someone who can do this work.
As well as answering your questions, talking to a Medical Examiner helps the NHS provide better care for other patients and carers in future; for example, by identifying ways in which patient and family care could be improved.
The Medical Examiner Team are available Monday to Friday 8am - 4pm and can be reached on:
Queen Elizabeth Hospital Woolwich- 0208 836 4626/4627
Email - lg.medicalexaminerofficelgt@nhs.net
Deaths reported to the Coroner
A Coroner has a judicial role responsible for investigating deaths that may be unnatural, violent or where the cause of death is simply not known. They will also investigate deaths that occur in specific circumstances, such as the person being detained in a prison or mental health hospital.
The coroner is supported in their role by a team of coroner’s officers based at the local coroner’s office.
The office is not manned at weekends or bank holidays so cases will not be reviewed by their office until the next working day.
When a death is reported to the office, the coroner will consider the information and do one of three things:
1. Give a doctor permission to issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and then take no further action.
2. Order a post mortem examination. Depending on the results, the coroner will (a) find the death natural and close the case; (b) open an investigation, where further information is obtained from doctors and/or others; or (c) open an inquest, which is a fact-finding court hearing about the circumstances of the death.
3. Open an inquest without a post mortem examination.
Post-mortem
A Coroner may sometimes decide that a post-mortem is necessary to help establish the cause of death, for example where a doctor has been unable to complete an MCCD. A post-mortem is carried out by a Pathologist, a doctor who specialises in examining body organs, tissues and fluids to make a medical diagnosis.
The Coroner does not need your consent for a post-mortem, but they will explain why they feel one is necessary and discuss potential alternatives where applicable.
The post-mortem will be carried out as soon as possible to avoid delays to any funeral arrangements. The Coroner’s Office will let you know of timescales and if there are any delays. The Coroner’s Office will be able to discuss the findings of the post-mortem once the Pathologist’s report is available and provide you with a copy if you wish.
Interim death certificate
Whilst you will not be able to register the death whilst you wait for the results of the post-mortem, the Coroner will provide you with interim death certificates to allow you to deal with things like arranging the funeral, closing bank accounts and applying for probate. Some financial organisations, for example life insurance, may also require further information in writing from the Coroner, in addition to the interim death certificate.
The Coroner will authorise the deceased to be released from the hospital and local mortuary to the appointed funeral director as soon as possible after the post-mortem examination has been completed. They do not need to wait for the Pathologist’s report.
Inquest
A Coroner may decide that an inquest is necessary. An inquest is a public court hearing held by the Coroner to ascertain who died and how, when and where the death happened. It may be held with or without a jury, depending on the circumstances. At the inquest the Coroner will consider evidence from witnesses and other evidence such as the post-mortem reports.
Not all deaths referred to the Coroner need to have an inquest. The Coroner will tell you if an inquest is required. An inquest is different from other types of court hearing because there is no prosecution or defence. The purpose of the inquest is only to discover the facts of the death the Coroner (or jury) cannot find anyone criminally responsible for the death or apportion blame.
However, if evidence is found that suggests someone may be criminally responsible for the death, the Coroner can pass the evidence to the police or the Crown Prosecution Service.
Our local Coroner’s Office
The London Inner South Coroner is responsible for investigating deaths referred to the Coroner that have occurred in the London Boroughs of Lambeth, Southwark, Lewisham and Greenwich.
London Inner South Coroner’s Court (www.innersouthlondoncoroner.org.uk)
1 Tennis Street
London
SE1 1YD
Telephone: 020 7525 4200
Registration
The death must be registered with the registrar of births and deaths once the medical examiner’s office has spoken to the relatives and the certificate has been agreed.
The death must be registered within five days of the registrar receiving it (if it has not been reported to the Coroner). However, if for any reason you are unable to attend the district where the death occurred, please contact your local register office for advice regarding the registration.
Please be aware that registering the death at a location other than that of the district/borough of death you will encounter a delay to the process.
You can arrange this appointment yourself, the details for the registrar office can be found below.
To make an appointment please email registrar@royalgreenwich.gov.uk or alternatively telephone 020 8921 5015/5016.
Opening times are Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm.
Your appointment will be held at Woolwich Registrar’s Office
Woolwich Town Hall
Wellington Street
Woolwich SE18 6PW
You can contact the out-of-hours emergency bereavement service on 020 8854 8888. This service is for the issue of burial certificates required for a funeral that is to take place within 24 hours.
PIER ROAD
Directions to the Register Office at Woolwich Town Hall
There are signposted car parks close to the Town Hall. There is pay and display along Wellington Street, surrounding roads are parking meters. Woolwich Arsenal DLR and Train Station
VINCENTROAD WELLINGTONSTREET
WOOLWICHNEWROAD
Buses to and from hospital: 161, 178, 244, 291, 386, 469 Queen
Who can register the death?
• A relative
• A person present at the death
• The person arranging the funeral (not the funeral director). A person arranging the funeral should only register a death if there are no relatives available.
What the Registrar will need
• Medical certificate of cause of death - issued by the certifying doctor. This will be emailed to the register office.
• Coroner’s post mortem form - issued from the coroner. This will be emailed to the registrar by the coroner’s office.
If available, please have the following to refer to in relation to the deceased:
• Passport or birth certificate
• Marriage or civil partnership certificates (if applicable)
What the Registrar will ask you about the person who has died.
• Date and place of death
• First name, middle names (if applicable), and surname
• Any other names they were otherwise or previously known by
• Maiden name (if applicable)
• Date and place of birth
• Occupation and whether retired or not
• Address
• Details of spouse/civil partner
After
registration has been completed
The registrar will issue:
• A Green certificate for burial or cremation - separate procedures apply where the death has been referred to the Coroner.
• Unique number to access the Tell Us Once service.
• Death certificate – There is a cost for each certificate, and can be applied for online when booking the appointment, or at the office when you attend the appointment.
Copies of the death certificate are required when settling the deceased’s estate, it is advisable to purchase more than one certificate as they are often required for sorting out financial affairs such as insurance policies, pension claims or other purposes.
Tell Us Once service
Tell Us Once is a free service offered by HM Government. It enables you to report a death only once, telling central and local government services securely and confidentially without you having to inform them individually.
Many services can be notified and these include:
• The local council
• HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC)
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Passport Office
• Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
• Public Sector or Armed Forces Pension Schemes
After you have registered the death the registrar will provide you with a unique Tell Us Once reference number, which will enable you to access the service online or via their telephone service.
Viewing the deceased
Family should be given the opportunity to view the deceased on the ward or in the Emergency Department.
Your loved one will be moved from the ward to the mortuary and will stay in the mortuary until they are collected by the funeral director.
If relatives did not get an opportunity to see the deceased patient whilst on the ward and the deceased patient has already been transferred to mortuary, the relatives can telephone the mortuary office between the hours of 9am – 3pm, Monday - Friday to discuss viewing arrangements excluding weekend and bank holidays.
QEH Mortuary Telephone – 020 8836 5686
No viewing appointments will be available outside of these hours
Please be aware that viewing appointments may not always be possible and are likely to be conducted behind a glass window (no physical contact) otherwise, relatives should wait until the deceased patient is in the care of the funeral directors where dressing and personal care will be performed.
Before viewing you will need permission from the next of kin. You will be asked to complete a short form and you will need to give details about your loved one including their:
• full name
• date of birth
• date of death
Your funeral director will have visiting facilities.
Our compassionate mortuary staff will keep your loved one safe and make sure they are treated with dignity and respect until they are transferred into the care of your nominated funeral directors.
Patient’s property
This will be given to you on the ward if you were present at the time of death. If this is not the case please contact the General Office on 020 3192 6089 / 6091 / 6092.
Tissue donation
Tissue donation can help thousands of people each year.
Donated tissue such as heart valves, bones and eyes can save or dramatically improve the lives of many people suffering from illness or injury.
Thanks to the generosity of donors and their families, thousands of people every year receive life-transforming tissue transplants. Lewisham and Greenwich Hospital Trust works in partnership with NHS Blood and Transplant to support the option of tissue donation.
Almost anyone can be considered as a tissue donor. A specialist nurse from NHS Blood and Transplant may call you, or another family member, to discuss the option of donation from your loved one. The specialist nurse will provide enough information to enable you to make a decision that is right for you.
Throughout the donation, the donor is treated with dignity and respect. After donation our specialist team will ensure the donor retains a natural appearance.
Tissue donation will not delay funeral arrangements.
Tissue donation is usually possible for up to 24-48 hours after someone has died and a nurse from the hospital may have already discussed this with you. However, if not and you wish to speak to a specialist nurse about tissue donation, please call: 0800 432 0559
Chaplaincy and Spiritual Care
How can we help?
The experience of being bereaved may evoke many different emotions and you may feel that you would like someone to talk to in confidence.
The chaplaincy and spiritual care team offers spiritual care to bereaved people. They offer support to all patients, relatives and carers whatever their faith or belief, religious or non-religious.
Chaplains provide a supportive, non-judgemental, confidential listening ear to all.
They have good links with world faiths and other groups, and they aim to get an appropriate person to support you whether religious or non-religious.
Is there somewhere for prayer and reflection?
You may need time for reflection in a place that is peaceful and quiet. The chapel and prayer room is located on the ground floor of the hospital close to the main entrance. It is open to everyone, whatever your faith or belief. It is open each day until early evening.
How do I contact a chaplain?
If you would like to talk to a chaplain, please call extension 6831 from inside the hospital or 020 8836 6831 from outside the hospital, or email lg.chaplaincyuhl@nhs.net
The chaplaincy office is on the ground floor of the hospital next to the chapel and prayer room.
Funeral Directors
It is a common misconception that you cannot contact the funeral director until the death has been registered. You do not have to wait until you have registered the death before contacting a funeral director. The organising of a funeral can be carried out as soon after death as you feel comfortable.
Your chosen funeral director will need the Certificate of Burial or Cremation (also known as the green form), which the registrar will give you. If the death has been referred to the coroner the funeral director will liaise with the coroner’s office for you.
You may wish to approach more than one funeral director to get an estimate of their costs before making your choice; you will find that your chosen funeral director will be able to guide you in every detail in making funeral arrangements.
Your chosen funeral director will be able to act on your behalf; they will contact the hospital mortuary to arrange collection of the deceased and any necessary documentation.
There are no universal standards applying to funeral directors but some are members of a professional organisation operating under a code of conduct.
The National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) and the Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) are two examples of these.
Funeral director’s addresses and telephone numbers can be obtained from the internet, local telephone directories or in the back of this booklet. The bereavement office is not able to recommend any funeral directors.
Help with funeral costs and bereavement payments
If you are finding it difficult to pay for a funeral that you have to arrange, you may be entitled to receive a funeral expenses payment from the Department for Work and Pensions providing you receive certain benefits. Information can be found via www.gov.uk/funeral-payments
You may also be entitled to a bereavement support payment (BSP) if your husband, wife or civil partner died in the last 21 months. Information can be found via www.gov.uk/bereavementsupport-payment
Information about the above payments along with additional information about other benefits, tax and state pension can be accessed via www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies or telephone the bereavement service helpline 0800 731 0469.
Who to inform of the death
There are various people, companies and other interested parties that need to be informed such as:
• Post Office/Building Society or Bank
• Social Security to cancel any pension, allowances or benefits
• Employer
• Solicitor/Accountant
• Pension or Life Insurance providers
• Insurance companies (car, house etc.)
• Inland Revenue
• Credit Card company
• Social Services
• Landlord/Housing Association or local housing department
• GP and any other hospital the deceased may have been attending
• TV Licensing
Wills and Probate
If the person who died left a will they may have asked an executor to deal with the estate. If the person did not name an executor or leave a will then sometimes an administrator will be needed to deal with the estate.
If the will is held at a solicitor’s you should make contact with them to inform them of the death.
You may be able to deal with the estate without probate; you should contact the relevant organisations, for example those holding money or property to enquire.
Information about probate, if it is required and applying for probate can be found via www.gov.uk/applying-for-probate or by telephoning the probate call centre on 0300 303 0648.
Further Information
After a few days you may find that you have a number of questions that you would like to ask about the death of your relative, or their care whilst in hospital; staff will try to help you as much as they can.
If you have questions about the medical condition or treatment received by your relative, it is important that they are answered by a professional with the relevant expertise. If this is the situation, please contact the secretary of the consultant responsible for your relative’s medical care. Some relatives find it helpful to do this two or three weeks after their relative has died when they feel more able to deal with their bereavement.
If the questions are about general care of your relative whilst in the hospital, you should contact the manager of the ward or department concerned.
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) are also there to support and assist you with any concerns you may have.
They can be contacted on 020 8836 4592 or email pals.qeht@nhs.net
Access to Health Records
If you have any questions about access to the medical records, then please contact the medical records department on 020 3192 6114 (University Hospital Lewisham) or 020 8836 5539/5540 (Queen Elizabeth Hospital).
www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/access-to-medical-records
Grief and emotions
Grief is a personal experience; the experience of loss can be upsetting physically, emotionally and socially. Reactions to grief are quite natural; it is important to remember this is not an illness.
You may find that you feel quite numb to begin with. It may be difficult to eat or sleep; you may lose energy, feel cold, strained, run down and as though nothing seems real. These are natural bodily reactions to shock and trauma.
At first it can be very difficult to believe that someone has died. You may feel an intense longing to be with them. A common experience is to feel that they are still physically with you.
It is important to talk about the person who has died, especially important to include children and young people, as they will be experiencing similar feelings.
Your memories of the deceased - good and bad, are important. You may well find feelings of guilt and anger coming out. It can feel very disloyal to be angry with the one who has died and left you, but many people go through this experience. It may be that there is a conflict within your religious beliefs.
Very often people want to help you but feel awkward and many avoid you or feel unable to talk to you. If you feel able, let them know that you need them and their support. Remember that to express your feelings of grief is both painful and healing. Crying can be helpful.
There will be difficulties ahead; perhaps many months or years after the person has died, especially around special dates. When someone close to you has died it is really important for you to share your feelings with people you can trust.
Government website
The government website www.gov.uk contains a wealth of information on a wide range of subjects which you may find useful such as:
• Intestacy
• Find out who is entitled to a share of someone’s property, possessions and money if they die without making a will
• Inheritance Tax
• How to pay inheritance tax: get a reference number, payment methods; use the deceased’s bank account, National Savings and Investments, government stock
• Telling DVLA about a bereavement
• What you need to tell DVLA if someone who was a driver has died
• Valuing the estate of someone who’s died
• When someone dies, you need to find out the value of the estate to see if inheritance tax is due - valuing the estate, reliefs, gifts, joint assets, stocks and shares, trusts and deductions
• Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)
• Provides benefits and services for a wide range of people Telephone 0800 731 0469
Stopping unwanted mail
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 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 take only a few minutes to complete.
Support and Help
Greenwich & Bexley Bereavement Help Point
• We can help anyone living in Greenwich or Bexley who needs advice or support.
healthwatchgreenwich.co.uk Telephone: 020 8320 5833
Cruse Bereavement Care
• Provides a nationwide service of bereavement counselling advice, information and social contact. www.cruse.org.uk
National helpline: 0808 808 1677
Greenwich branch: 020 8850 0505
Bexley branch: 020 8304 5245
• Support for young people. www.hopeagain.org.uk Telephone: 0808 808 1677
Samaritans
• 24 hour helpline for help and support on any matter. www.samaritans.org Telephone: 116 123
Bereavement Support Network
• A national organisation offering advice on all aspects of bereavement.
www.bereavementsupport.co.uk Telephone: 0808 168 9607
WAY Widowed and Young
• For under 50s
www.widowedandyoung.org.uk
Age UK
• For information and advice on a range of subjects www.ageuk.org.uk Telephone: 0800 055 6112
The Compassionate Friends
• Supporting bereaved parents and their families after the death of a child.
www.tcf.org.uk Telephone: 0345 123 2304
Winston’s Wish
• National charity helping bereaved children. www.winstonswish.org Telephone: 0808 802 0021
SSAFA
• National charity for helping serving and ex-serving men, women and their families in need. www.ssafa.org.uk Telephone: 0800 260 6767
MIND
• National leading mental health charity supporting individuals in times of bereavement. www.mind.org.uk National Telephone: 0300 102 1234
The Silver Line
• Helpline for older people offering free, confidential information, friendship and advice. www.thesilverline.org.uk Telephone: 0800 470 8090
Counselling Directory
• A comprehensive database of UK counsellors, with information of their training and experience. A free confidential service. www.counselling-directory.org.uk
The Coroners Court Support Service
• The Coroners Courts Support Service is a registered charity whose volunteers give emotional and practical support to families and other witnesses attending Inquests. www.coronerscourtssupportservice.org.uk Telephone: 0300 111 2141
Way Up
• Self-help group and support network for people widowed in their 50s and 60s. www.way-up.co.uk
Switchboard LGBT+
• Supporting the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) community
www.switchboard.lgbt
LGBT+ Bereavement helpline Telephone: 0800 0119 100
Macmillan Cancer Support
• For practical support and advice. www.macmillan.org.uk Support Line Tel: 0808 808 00 00
Sudden
• If you have been bereaved as a result of COVID-19, take a look at Sudden, a charity who support those who have been suddenly bereaved. www.sudden.org
The Loss Foundation
• Offering specific support, including online support groups, to those who have lost loved ones through COVID-19. www.thelossfoundation.org/our-response-to-coronavirus
The Good Grief Trust
• Run by bereaved for the bereaved. Please email hello@thegoodgrieftrust.org or visit www.thegoodgrieftrust.org
Reference: Queen Elizabeth Hospital Bereavement Booklet
Review date: November 2026
Publication date: November 2024
The information contained within this booklet has been prepared by the bereavement office and contains general advice, which we hope will be useful. We do not accept any liability from its use. We aim to ensure that this information is as up to date and accurate as possible, but please be aware that certain areas (such as contact details) are subject to change from time to time.
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.
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.
