1. Funeral directors

A funeral director is someone you can employ to help you with funeral arrangements. They will book the venue and time that you would like the funeral to take place in. They will also organise your chosen officiant for the service as well as taking care of most of the legal paperwork you need for a funeral. You can contact a funeral director within a few hours of a death and can start making arrangements. If you are unsure of the wishes of the deceased regarding funeral arrangements you may find they have included this in their will. When you see a member of the Ward Staff you will be asked to sign a release form. This form allows the funeral director to collect the deceased from the hospital. Funeral directors are available during office hours, which are Monday to Friday 8.30am–5.00pm. However, they can be contacted 24 hours a day, every day, for emergency calls. The cost of a funeral varies and you may wish to see a brochure and price list or contact several funeral directors to compare prices, services provided and facilities available before making a decision.

A list of funeral directors can be found via: • Yellow Pages • The British Institute of Funeral Directors, 10 St John Road, Wroughton, Swindon SN4 9ED telephone 0800 032 2733 • The National Association of Funeral Directors, 618 Warwick Road, Solihull, West Midlands, B91 1AA telephone 0121 711 1343 • The National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors, 3 Bullfields, Sawbridgeworth, Hertfordshire, CM21 9DB, telephone 01279 726777 • Internet search