Page: 1 Introduction
Page: 2 Contact a Funeral Director
Page: 4 Speaking to the Medical Examiner
Page: 6 Make an Appointment to Register the Death
Page: 7 Register the Death
Page: 8 Return Drugs and Equipment
Page: 9 Other Arrangements
Page: 10 Ongoing Bereavement Support
Page: 12 Other Information
Page: 13 List of Local Funeral Directors
When somebody dies, there are many things to do. This can feel quite overwhelming at what is already a very difficult time. We hope that the information contained in this booklet will be helpful to you.
We will all experience loss and bereavement at times in our lives and it is very common to feel a number of different emotions.
In this booklet you will find helpful information regarding the steps you will need to take, and the services to inform, in the days following a bereavement. We have also outlined the contact details for our local funeral directors, as well as some useful online resources that you can access.
We have outlined a number of practicalities that will need to be addressed but if you require any additional information or guidance then please do not hesitate to speak to us at St Wilfrid’s Hospice. We will be happy to help.
Tel: 01243 775302
Usually, the first step following a bereavement is to contact a Funeral Director to tell them you would like to use their services. They will arrange with you a time to collect the person who has died. If your loved one died at St Wilfrid’s Hospice, let us know which funeral director you will use and we will make arrangements with you and them.
You may wish to spend some time with your loved one before they are collected. That is absolutely fine; just discuss this with your chosen Funeral Director or the ward.
Though we are unable to make specific recommendations, there are a number of funeral directors within Hampshire and Sussex for you to choose from. Family or friends may be able to assist you with this decision, or you may already know the wishes of who your loved one would like you to use.
We have listed contact details for local funeral directors in the back of this booklet. If you still need help, the following organisations can help you to find a local funeral director:
• National Association of Funeral Directors 0121 711 1343 www.nafd.org.uk
• National Society of Allied & Independent Funeral Directors 0345 230 6777 www.saif.org.uk
You may be eligible for a Funeral Expenses Payment. Please see the following website for more details, including eligibility criteria.
www.gov.uk/funeral-payments/eligibility
Your loved one may have expressed a wish to be buried or cremated. If they have not, you will need to make this decision.
Please let us know if your loved one wishes to be cremated so we can ensure the necessary checks and paperwork are completed. This will not delay the death certificate being issued.
If your loved one has died while being cared for on the ward at St Wilfrid’s Hospice, the Medical Examiner will review their care. The care of our patients is reviewed by the Medical Examiner’s Office at St Richard’s Hospital. The Medical Examiners are part of a national system of independent, specifically trained, senior doctors who have not been involved in the care of your loved one.
If the doctor at the Hospice thinks a Coroner’s inquest is needed the Medical Examiner will not be involved, but this is uncommon and will be discussed with you. There are some deaths that routinely need referral to the Coroner e.g. if the death was caused by an industrial disease.
The doctor at the Hospice will write the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death if your loved one has died at the Hospice. This is needed for you to be able to register your loved one’s death.
The Medical Examiner will review the records to confirm the cause of death. They will want to speak with you to see if you have any questions or concerns about the care of your loved one. Once the Medical Examiner is happy, the Medical Examiner’s Office will send the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the Registrar. They will inform you when this has been done and that you can now book an appointment to register the death.
It is advisable not to make an appointment until you have been called by the Medical Examiner’s Office and they have confirmed the certificate has been sent to the Registrar. Your appointment will be in person and cannot go ahead without this.
If your loved one has died at home or in a care home, the GP will usually issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. In most cases the Medical Examiner will review the death, as for deaths at the Hospice. All deaths at home will be reviewed by April 2024.
The GP will write the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death if your loved one has died at home. This is needed for you to be able to register your loved one’s death.
There are some cases where the doctor will be unable to issue the certificate e.g. if the deceased was not seen by a doctor in the 28 days prior to death or if the cause of death was uncertain, or unexpected. In these cases, the death may be referred to the Coroner and this will be discussed with you.
In most cases the Medical Examiner will review the records to confirm the cause of death. They will want to speak with you to see if you have any questions or concerns about the care of your loved one. Once the Medical Examiner is happy, the Medical Examiner’s Office will send the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the Registrar. They will inform you when this has been done and that you can now book an appointment to register the death.
Unless it is being referred to the Coroner, you are required to register the death of your loved one within 5 days. You can only register the death once the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) has been completed. If there are delays in this process caused by a doctor or coroner you will not be penalised. If the death is being referred to the Coroner, you can register the death once you have received confirmation that the necessary paperwork has been issued to the Registrars.
When you book the appointment, you will be told what you will need in order to register the death.
You can book an appointment using the information below, depending on where you are located:
• West Sussex: www.westsussex.gov.uk/register or phone 01243 642 122
• Hampshire: www.hants.gov.uk/birthsdeathsandceremonies/ death or phone 0300 555 1392
Below are the addresses for Havant, Chichester and Bognor Regis Registry Offices:
Havant Registry Office
1st Floor Havant Library, Meridian Centre, Havant, PO9 1UN
Chichester Registry Office
West Sussex
Record Office, 3 Orchard Street, Chichester, PO19 1DD
Bognor Regis
Registry Office
Bognor Regis Library, Wheatland Room, 69 London Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 1DE
By now you will have booked your appointment to register the death. Usually a relative of the deceased will register the death, but this can also be done by:
• A person present at the time of death
• The person responsible for organising the funeral
• The owner/manager of the residential home where the death occurred
Usually you will be told what you will need at the time of registering the appointment. You may wish to note down some extra details, such as:
• When and where the death occurred
• The deceased’s date and place of birth
• Full names used by the deceased throughout their lifetime (e.g. maiden name)
• The last occupation of the deceased
It is useful, but not essential, to bring supporting documents such as birth certificate, marriage/civil partnership certificate or passport, to this appointment.
When you register a death you will get a certificate for burial or cremation. You will also be able to buy death certificates that are needed to manage the affairs of the person who has died.
When a person has died at home, there will usually be a lot of equipment and medications to dispose of. Some people like to do this sooner rather than later, but you can do it at your own pace.
Drugs should always be returned to your nearest pharmacy for proper disposal. All pharmacies offer this service and it is always free of charge. If you can, please return medications in their original packaging.
Never be tempted to share medications with somebody else as this can be harmful or even fatal. Medications should never be put in the bin or disposed of down the toilet or sink as this can be hazardous to the environment.
Any equipment that the deceased person may have used can be collected by the organisation who delivered it. The items can then be cleaned and used again.
• In West Sussex, most equipment is distributed by NRS. You can phone them to collect equipment on 0345 127 2931, or email collections@westsussex.nrs-uk.net.
• In Hampshire, equipment is usually organised by the NHS or County Council. Your equipment will usually be labelled with a sticker. You can find a phone number for returns on the sticker.
Usually, animal shelters or charities are only too happy to receive any donations of unwanted pads or items to avoid excess supplies going to landfill. Please contact your nearest animal shelter to see what they can accept.
There are a number of organisations that need to be informed when a death occurs. These include the DVLA (for driving licenses), banks, HMRC (for tax and national insurance) and the local council.
What to do when someone dies: step by step - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
You can use the ‘Tell Us Once’ service to report a death to most government organisations in one go. Usually you are provided with a reference number when you registered the death, and the registrar will explain how to use the service. You must use the service within 28 days of registering the death. www.gov.uk/after-a-death
You can also use services such as Life Ledger, www.lifeledger.com for a free to use service that allows you to notify multiple organisations of the death of your loved one at once.
You may also wish to utilise support from other bereavement organisations, such as:
• In Hampshire you can call the Bereavement Care helpline
08081 691 922
• The Coroners Courts Support Service, for practical and emotional support during an inquest
0300 111 2141
• Stop Mail: one phone call to help stop unwanted mail to the deceased
stopmail.co.uk
0808 168 9607
We understand that this is a very difficult time and that you may need ongoing bereavement support going into the future. There are a number of different support networks that you can access – you are not alone. Do not feel ashamed; grief can be a lengthy, complex process and everybody experiences it in different ways.
At St Wilfrid’s Hospice we are fortunate to have our own bereavement service. You will receive a letter roughly three weeks following the death of your loved one which will include information on the bereavement services available to you and your family. Usually a member of the bereavement team will phone you about six weeks after your loss, to discuss the support available to you and answer any questions you may have. If you need support sooner than this, please contact the hospice on 01243 775302 and we will be happy to help.
You can visit our website stwh.co.uk and use the search bar for ‘bereavement support’ for more information and helplines. 24-hour Helplines: If you need help NOW • Samaritans – Phone 116 123 or visit www.samaritans.org For support with whatever you may be facing, at any time of day. • Childline – Phone 0800 1111 or visit www.childline.org.uk Tailored advice, support and aids for Under 18s struggling with anything, at any time.
• The Good Grief Trust www.thegoodgrieftrust.org is a charity run by the bereaved, for the bereaved. They aim to normalise grief and believe that everybody should have the opportunity to receive the tailored support they need to move forward with their lives.
• Cruse Bereavement Care – Phone 0808 808 1677 (9am – 5pm) or visit www.cruse.org.uk for support with practicalities after death as well as bereavement care.
• Bereavement Advice Centre www.bereavementadvice. org can offer advice and support after death, as well as a free service to stop junk mail to the deceased.
• Winston’s Wish – Phone 08088 020 021 (8am – 8pm) or visit www.winstonswish.org for bereavement support for grieving children or young people
We hope that you have found this booklet useful to guide you through the first days or weeks following your bereavement. It is a difficult time, but there is a vast network of support available to you.
If you need any more information, the organisations on Page 10 may be of use to you in answering any questions you may have. Your chosen Funeral Director will also be an invaluable guide during this time.
Below is a list of some of the Funeral Directors within our catchment area. You can also contact the National Association of Funeral Directors (Phone 0121 711 1343) or visit www.nafd.org.uk for a more comprehensive guide. Please note that we are unable to make recommendations.
Co-operative Kingsham Avenue, Chichester, PO19 8AW 01243 782209
230 Chichester Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 5BA 01243 865119
6 Nyetimber Lane, Bognor Regis PO21 3HG 01243 268 681
103-105 Felpham Way, Bognor Regis PO22 8QB 01243 587067
31 North Square, Emsworth, PO10 7DA 01243 376458
Dillistone & Wraights
49-51 Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, PO19 6SG 01243 684735
27 Queensway, Bognor Regis, PO21 1QN 01243 684765
F A Holland
3 Jubilee Road, Chichester, PO19 7XB 01243 782965 Cakeham Road, East Witterings, PO20 8EA 01243 671396
1 New Parade, High Street, Selsey, PO20 0QA 01243 602764
16 Ash Lane, Littlehampton, BN16 3BZ 01903 771010
8 Terminus Road, Littlehampton, BN17 5BU 01903 713939
Kevin Holland
246 Chichester Road, Bognor Regis, PO21 5BA 01243 868630
Reynolds
43 Spitalfield Lane, Chichester, PO19 6SG 01243 773311
31 High Street, Bognor Regis, PO21 1RR 01243 864745
Horsham Road, Littlehampton, BN17 6LX 01903 730666
Some Other Options
• South Downs Natural Burial Site Sustainability Centre, East Meon, GU32 1HR 01730 823425
• Pure Cremations www.purecremation.co.uk/
0800 033 7737
The Hospice 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 Hospice is grateful of their support it does not endorse or recommend any of the services that they provide.
stopping 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.
Expertly guiding and honouring meaningful farewells with compassion, creativity and insight
073 4 2 3300 1 7
