Yeovil District Hospital, Higher Kingston, Yeovil BA21 4AT
Telephone: (01935) 384746
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust would like to offer you our sincerest condolences at this difficult time. We know that the death of someone close, can be very distressing. The Bereavement & Medical Examiner
Office staff are available to help and guide you through the next few days and to ensure that the practical arrangements are handled in a sensitive and timely manner.
This booklet aims to explain what happens next; including information about how to comment on the care your loved one received and what happens if a death is looked into by the Coroner.
It also provides details of the processes involved if you have any significant concerns about the care we provided and gives you practical advice, support and information.
Initial Advice
Please telephone the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office after 10am the next working day following the death or after 11am after a Bank Holiday.
Musgrove Park Hospital 01823 343753
Yeovil Hospital 01935 384746
We apologise if you connect to an answer phone when you call or if the line is engaged for long periods, we may be talking to another bereaved family. Please leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible.
We advise you not to make a date for the funeral until you have spoken to us. However, you can speak to a Funeral Director to begin making arrangements for the funeral.
It is helpful for us to know if the funeral will be a cremation or a burial, as this makes a difference to the paperwork, however we do understand if this decision has not been made prior to you contacting us.
Please do not come to the hospital without prior arrangement. If you are required to attend the hospital for any reason, the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office staff will inform you.
Introduction
This publication has been compiled using information supplied by hospitals across the country. The National Health Service is very grateful to everyone who has contributed to the development of this information. In particular, they would like to thank all the families who very kindly shared their experiences, expertise and feedback to help develop this resource.
This information has been produced in parallel with ‘Learning from Deaths - Guidance for NHS Trusts’ on working with bereaved families and carers, which can be found at :–
Medical Examiner Service and Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
Somerset NHS Foundation Trust now provide a Medical Examiner Service, which is a National system for reviewing deaths that occur in hospital & our community. The Medical Examiner is a senior doctor, who is independent and not involved in the patients care. With the assistance of trained Bereavement & Medical Examiner Officers, they will review all deaths in order to establish a cause of death prior to the issuing of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).
During your initial contact with the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office, you will be given the opportunity to discuss the care and treatment your loved one has received. This is a chance for you to give feedback, ask any questions you may have regarding any aspect of their hospital admission and express any concerns you may have. Advice will be given to you as to how such concerns can be taken forward.
The service does endeavour to provide you with the MCCD as soon as possible, however sometimes this can take a little longer due to the availability of the doctor responsible for your loved one’s care and in some cases the Medical Examiner or the treating doctor may need to speak to the Coroner before we can issue the MCCD. In either case, we will inform you of any delays which may occur. There is further information on Coroners referrals on Page 8.
If the MCCD is able to be issued, we will explain to you what the next steps you need to take are.
Registering the death
The death has to be registered within 5 calendar days (unless the Coroner is involved) and this should be by appointment only. You can arrange an appointment with Somerset Registrations by calling their central booking line on 01823 282251. The Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office staff will advise you of the best time to call.
The person registering the death must be one of the following:
• A relative of the person who has died
• A person present during their last illness
• A person present at the time of death
• A person making the funeral arrangements
The Registrar will ask for the following information about the person who has died:
• Date and place of death and their usual residential address
• Full name (and maiden/birth name if applicable)
• Date & place of birth
• If they were married, the name & date of birth of the surviving widow(er) or civil partner/the date of death of their spouse
• Occupation and the occupation of their husband/wife/civil partner
• Whether they were receiving a pension or allowance from public funds
Once you have completed the registration of death with the Registrar, they will issue a certificate of burial or cremation (Green Form) for the Funeral Director and the Death Certificate. They will also ask you how many copies of the Death Certificate you will need. These are £12.50 per certified copy.
You can find a list of some of the organisations who would require a certified copy of a Death Certificate over the page. Please note, this is not a definitive list and is for guidance only:
• Banks & Building Societies - those that are local which can be visited in person will require sight of the certificate. They will photocopy the original and return it to you.
• Personal Pension Companies
• Premium Bonds & National Savings
• Life Insurance
• Contracts and Agreements
• Probate
• Solicitors
• Accountants
• Stocks & Shares
• Mortgage Company & Land Registry
• Credit Cards & Finance Agreements
• Memberships of Professional or Social Bodies
The Registrar can also provide information about the Tell Us Once service. This is a free service which informs certain organisations for you to save you several different phone calls. There is a list of some organisations below, again this is not a definitive list and is for guidance only:
• DWP - you will need the deceased’s National Insurance Number
• Council Housing
• Council Tax
• Library Services
• Electoral Services
• Adult Social Services
• Blue Badge
• Housing Benefit
• Child Benefit
• Working Tax Credits
• Child Tax Credits
• Personal Taxation
• DVLA
• Driving Licence - you will need the Driver Number
• Registered Keeper of a Motor Vehicle – you will need the Registration Number
• Concessionary Travel
• Passport Agency – you will need the passport number
• Government Pensions
• NHS
• Civil Service
• Armed Forces
• Participating Local Government Offices
Tissue donation
Corneas can be retrieved up to 24 hours after death and heart valves up to 48 hours (0-60 years old). If you think your loved one expressed a wish to make such a donation, please contact the Bereavement Medical Examiner Office at:
Musgrove Park Hospital, 01823 343753
Yeovil Hospital, 01935 384746
as soon as possible or let ward staff know if out of Bereavement Office hours (10am - 4pm Monday - Friday).
Spiritual Care
Irrespective of your faith group or religion, the Hospital Chaplains can offer support to you and your family, if you would like it. The Chaplains can also put you in touch with officiants of other religions.
Musgrove Park Hospital, Level 1 of the Duchess Building, 01823 342515
Yeovil Hospital, Level 4, 01935 384357
Paying last respects
Unfortunately, we are unable to facilitate viewings in either of our hospital mortuaries. If you would like to see your loved one following their death, please discuss with your chosen funeral director if this is something they can facilitate on their premises.
Marie Curie Somerset Bereavement Support Service
Marie Curie can provide bereavement support for people across Somerset who are over the age of 18. This service provides telephone support calls with compassionate volunteers. They have all completed specific training, including how to support people in sensitive situations and dealing with difficult subjects, such as death, dying and bereavement.
The designated Next of Kin for all of the patients who died in our care, will receive a follow up call from a Marie Curie volunteer several weeks following the death of their loved one. You are not obliged to take this phone call and if you would like to opt out please let the staff in the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office know on:
Musgrove Park Hospital, 01823 343753
Yeovil Hospital, 01935 384746
A privacy notice about how personal details are stored and used is on page 18 of this booklet.
If you feel you would like to talk to someone sooner, you can self-refer to Marie Curie by telephoning 0800 304 7412. They are available Monday –Saturday 9am until 5pm.
Choosing a Funeral Director
When choosing a Funeral Director, you should feel comfortable and confident with them. Funeral Directors can manage all or part of the funeral arrangements. They can give advice on available options and provide support to help you make decisions. You can ask any Funeral Director for an estimated cost before making a commitment to use their services and it is reasonable to seek estimates from more than one company.
Many people now have pre-paid funeral plans which have all of their wishes pre-arranged. You may need to check if your loved one has one in place and which Funeral Director it was taken out with.
The Funeral Director needs to know and discuss with you:
• The name, age and religion of the person who has died
• The place of death and name of the doctor who has signed the Medical Certificate
• Any particular requests left by the person who has died
• If burial or cremation is required (please ask your Funeral Director about the costings for each of these)
• The style of coffin
• The type of service, hymns, cars, flowers, newspaper notices (if any), etc.
Funeral costs are normally recoverable from the person’s estate, however the person organising the funeral will initially be responsible for paying the bill. It is advisable to check where the money will come from before you make arrangements and when the Funeral Director will require the bill to be paid. Where finances are limited you may be entitled to help with some of the funeral costs from the Social Fund. The staff in the Bereavement and Medical Examiners Office can provide an application form for this.
A list of Funeral Directors in the Somerset area is provided on Pages 2023 in this booklet.
Coroner’s Referrals
Under certain circumstances the involvement of the Coroner may be necessary. Examples of such circumstances are:
• all sudden and unexplained deaths
• where the cause of death is unknown and a doctor cannot issue a certificate
• any death through unnatural or suspicious causes, for example suicide, violence, poisoning, accidents
• if the death occurred as a result of an operation or procedure
• if the death was caused by industrial disease
The Coroner for Somerset is an independent judicial officer who enquires into those deaths who fall into the above categories. The Coroner’s Officers are independent representatives and work to the guidance of the Coroner. The Coroner’s Officers will be contacted by the doctor and the Coroner will decide one of 3 things:
• that the death was from natural causes and the doctor is permitted to issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death
• the cause of death is unknown and a post mortem examination is required
• the cause of death is unnatural and an inquest is to be held
Post Mortem Examination
The Coroner is legally empowered to request a post mortem, therefore your consent is not required. You will be informed if a post mortem is necessary by the Coroner’s Officer responsible for your loved one’s case and if you have any concerns you can discuss these with him/her.
Following the outcome of the post mortem, the Coroner’s Officer will contact you to inform you of the result. They may ask which Funeral Director you intend to use and whether burial or cremation is to be arranged.
Inquest
If the death is from unnatural causes, or there is need for further enquiry following a post mortem, the Coroner will open an inquest into the medical cause and circumstances surrounding the death. The Coroner’s Officer will explain the details to you at the time, the inquest will be adjourned and re-opened at a later date. In this situation, the Coroner will normally issue an interim Death Certificate which will enable you to make funeral arrangements. Following the inquest the Coroner will send the Coroner’s Certificate to the Registrar to allow the death to be formally registered and the full death certificate to be issued accordingly
The Bereavement & Medical Examiner Officers will tell you if your loved one’s case needs to be referred to the Coroner and why. If we do not refer a death to the Coroner, but you have concerns relating to the treatment provided here, you can ask the Coroner to consider holding an inquest. It is a good idea to do this as soon as possible after your loved one has died; as delays in requesting an inquest may mean that any opportunity for the Coroner to order a post mortem is lost.
The local Coroner’s Office can be contacted via:
His Majesty’s Coroner, Old Municipal Buildings, Corporation Street, Taunton, Somerset TA1 4AQ
Telephone: 01823 359271
Email: coroner@somerset.gov.uk
If you are seeking, or involved in, an inquest, you may wish to find further independent information, advice or support. Details of organisations that can advise on the process, including how you can obtain legal representation, are listed on pages 15-17 in this booklet.
Reviews of deaths in our care
Case note reviews are routinely carried out by NHS Trusts on a proportion of all deaths in order to learn, develop and improve healthcare, and also when a problem in care may be suspected. A case note review is where the NHS looks at the patient notes and other details that are available to review a patient’s death.
These reviews are carried out by a clinician who was not directly involved in the patient’s care, looking at each aspect of their treatment and how well it was provided. When a routine review finds any issues with a patient’s care, we contact their family to discuss this further.
We also carry out case note reviews when a significant concern is raised with us relating to the care we provided to a patient. It is considered a ‘significant concern’ when:
• any concerns raised by the family cannot be answered at the time;
• any concerns are not answered to the family’s satisfaction or answered in a way which does not reassure them.
This may happen when a death is sudden, unexpected, untoward or accidental. If this happens, it will be discussed how these findings are shared with you, including thorough checks as to whether we have permission to share this information with family or carers.
Apart from case note reviews, there are specific processes and procedures that Trusts need to follow if your loved one had a learning disability; is a child; died in a maternity setting; or as a result of a mental health related homicide. Should they be required, we will provide you with the specific details on these processes and if they will delay the funeral.
Investigations
In a small percentage of cases, there may be concerns that the death could be, or is related to, a patient safety incident. This is any incident which could have led, or did lead, to harm for one or more patients receiving healthcare. Where there is a concern that a patient safety incident may have contributed to a patient’s death, a safety investigation will be undertaken. The purpose of a safety investigation is to find out what happened and why. This is to identify any potential learning for the Trust and to reduce the risk of a similar incident happening to other patients in the future.
If an investigation is to be held, you will be informed. We will explain the process to you and ask you about how, and when, you would like to be involved. If appropriate, we will explain how you will be included in setting the terms of reference (the topics that will be looked at) for the investigation. Investigations may be carried out internally or by external investigators, depending on the circumstances.
In some cases, an investigation may involve care providers other than Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. For example, if your loved one has received care from several organisations. In these circumstances, this will be explained to you, and you will be told which organisation is acting as the lead investigator.
You will be kept up-to-date on the progress of the investigation and invited to contribute. Your comments will be incorporated into the report. After the report has been signed off, the Trust will make arrangements to meet with you to discuss the findings. You may find it helpful to get independent advice about taking part in investigations and other options open to you. Some people will benefit from having an independent advocate to accompany them to meetings and you are welcome to bring a friend, relative or advocate to any meetings you attend. Details of independent organisations that may be able to help are on pages 15-17 of this booklet.
Where the death of a patient is associated with an incident during a patient’s care, staff must follow the Duty of Candour Regulation which means we have to be honest and open. Our staff will explain this to you in more detail.
Providing feedback, raising concerns or making a complaint
Providing feedback: We value and welcome your thoughts about your loved one’s care. Receiving feedback from families helps us to understand:
• the things we are doing right and need to continue; and
• the things we need to improve upon.
Raising concerns or complaints: It is very important to us that you feel able to ask questions and raise concerns regarding the care your loved one received. You can do this by informing the staff in the Bereavement Office, as they may be able to answer your concerns by reviewing the notes. If there are any serious care concerns, we will highlight these to our Learning from Deaths Lead within the Trust who will look into these further.
If you would prefer to discuss your concerns with someone not directly involved in your loved one’s care, please contact our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) on:
Telephone: 01823 343536 or email: PALS@somersetft.nhs.uk
People
you might need to
inform, apart from close family and friends (excluding ‘Tell Us Once’)
Priest, vicar, minister or leader of other faiths
Hospital other than Musgrove Park Hospital, dentist, optician
Bank, credit cards, Building Society
Social Services (home help or care) or other care provider
Previous place of work/ place of work (occupational pension)
Executors of the Estate named in the persons Will
Solicitor
Insurance Companies, eg. car, home, life, caravan
Residential or nursing home
Landlord, housing agency
Mortgage company/landlord
Electricity, gas, telephone, water companies, internet service provider
Post Office (redirect mail)
Cancel any appointments (apart from Musgrove Park Hospital and GP)
Day Centre transport
Deliveries, for example, milkman, newspapers
NHS departments for returning equipment
Employer, trade union
A child’s or young person’s teacher, employer or college if a close relative/friend has died
Done
Further information and support
Practical Do’s and Don’ts
Do
• Choose a Funeral Director with whom you feel comfortable
• Express your emotions
• Talk about what has happened with your family, close friends or a sympathetic group
• Eat properly and rest
• Guard against accidents in the home
• Make sure your home is secure
• Consult your doctor if your health is a worry
• Contact ‘Cruse’ or another group if you need extra support (contact numbers on pages 15-17 of this booklet)
Don’t
• Hide your feelings
• Let family or friends hurry you into making decisions or doing things until you are ready, for example sorting out your loved one’s belongings before you are ready to tackle that task yourself
• Enter into any financial arrangement you do not understand
• Turn to drugs or alcohol
• Allow the funeral to be rushed or be unnecessarily expensive
• Move home or make any major life changes whilst you are still grieving
• Hurry the healing process. Take it at your own pace
Bereavement is a distressing experience we all encounter during our lives. Yet it is something few of us talk about, resulting in little opportunity to learn about coping with the death of someone close to us. Grieving is a natural process that usually takes place after any death but, most powerfully, after the death of someone we love. For any further information on coping with grief and what support is available to you, please contact the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office.
Advice and Support
2 Wish
Providing bereavement support to all those affected by the sudden and traumatic death of a child or young adult aged 25 or under. 01443 853 125
Email: info@2wish.org.uk
Child Bereavement UK
Supports bereaved children, teenagers and parents. 0800 02 888 40
Email: helpline@childbereavementuk.org
Citizens Advice Bureau 01823 282235 www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Compassionate Friends
Support for bereaved parents, of all ages, and their families. 0345 123 2304
Email: helpline@tcf.org.uk
Cruse Bereavement Care
Provides counselling and support to all bereaved people irrespective of age. National telephone helpline 0808 808 1677
Somerset referral line 01458 748008 or somerset@cruse.org.uk
Email: info@cruse.org.uk
Department of Work & Pensions
For further information about what to do after a death regarding wills, pensions, probate etc. www.gov.uk/after-a-death
Josephine’s Star
Support to children and their families in Somerset when someone special has died. A charity formed by a small group of professionals who know how important it is for children to have the opportunity of support in their grief.
Support and information for those bereaved by suicide. 0300 330 5463
Email: Bereaved@mindinsomerset.org.uk
Peer group meeting 1st Thursday of every month.
Swan Advocacy
Provides advocacy services in North Somerset and South Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire, including generic advocacy and independent health complaints advocacy to support people to complain about NHS services. They have expertise where bereavement or end of life care are a factor. www.swanadvocacy.org.uk
The Good Grief Trust
For help & support in one place. Lists over 700 support networks for a range of different needs.
www.thegoodgrieftrust.org
Email: hello@thegoodgrieftrust.org
The Way Foundation
A support group for people who have lost a husband, wife or partner at a young age.
www.widowedandyoung.org.uk
Winston’s Wish Family Line
Supports bereaved children and teenagers. 08088 020 021
8am – 8pm Monday-Friday
Email: ask@winstonswish.org
Support for military veterans, reserves and their families
Cruse
Specialist bereavement care charity who recognise the particular differences for veterans and military families who are grieving. 0808 808 1677
Soldiers’ Sailors’ and Airmen’s Families Association
A charity providing welfare, health and support services for the UK military’s serving personnel, veterans and their families.
- Access emotional support
- Seek assistance if you are struggling with finances or your personal circumstances change following your loss
For more information visit: www.ssafa.org.uk/get-help/supportingolder-veterans/loss-of-a-loved-one 0800 260 6767
Defence Medical Welfare Service
Independent charity providing support to the armed forces community when they need help during times of physical or mental ill health, either in hospital, rehabilitation settings or at home. www.dmws.org.uk
Professionals can refer people for emotional support from Justine Clayton, Welfare Officer at the Defence Medical Welfare Service, by emailing: jclayton@dmws.org.uk
Local military associations
Connect with people who have similar backgrounds. From there you can discover other networks and support. Although this is not specific to bereavement, it could still be helpful for your wellbeing.
Royal British Legion counties.britishlegion.org.uk/counties/somerset/somerset-branches
Royal Naval Association www.royal-naval-association.co.uk/join-us
Search online for other local and virtual groups. Local veteran breakfast clubs in Taunton and Yeovil – search online through Facebook for details.
This list of contacts is just a selection of what is available and is not exhaustive. If you require any specific advice or support, please contact the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office who can signpost you to the most appropriate agency.
Privacy Notice - Information held about you
In order to offer support we need to collect and hold your contact details and the personal details of the person who has died.
They are stored safely on NHS regulated systems. Marie Curie are in partnership with the Trust and have an agreement to use the information only to provide expertise in calling you and providing support. No information is shared beyond this agreement. Data on, for example, number of calls and themes of problems people have encountered may be analysed on a non-identifiable basis for service improvement.
No medical details are held; we use personal information only to provide the following services to:
• offer support and guidance
• provide feedback on services
This information will include:-
• Personal data of your relative
• Your basic details: name and telephone number.
Who is processing my data?
Your data is processed by the Bereavement Office and Marie Curie. All personal data held is processed in accordance with Data Protection Law.
How will we use the Information we hold about you?
We will collect information about you to contact you for the provision of bereavement services.
We will not share any information outside the service, other than with Marie Curie, without your consent.
If you wish to see a copy of any information held by the service or Marie Curie, please contact us directly.
What is the legal basis for us to process your data?
The legal basis for processing the data is:-
• your consent, which you can withdraw at any time by notifying us at Musgrove Park Hospital, 01823 343753, Yeovil Hospital, 01935 384746
• the processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of the right of official authority invested in the controller.
How long do we keep your records?
We will only keep your information for the minimum period necessary. All information will be held securely and destroyed under confidential conditions.
Your rights
You have a number of rights under Data Protection Law, including the right to request your information and for it to be amended or erased if incorrect.
You also have a right to make a complaint relating to our handling of your personal data to the Information Commissioner’s Office www.ico.org.uk
Providing accurate Information
It is important that we hold your accurate and up to date information in order to assess your needs and deliver the appropriate services. If any of your details have changed, or change in the future, please ensure that you inform us as soon as possible to allow us to update your records.
Further information
If you have any questions or concerns about how your information is used, please contact the Bereavement Team in the first instance. You can contact the Data Protection Officer via email:Louise.Coppin@tst.nhs.uk.
More information about Data Protection and how it applies to you can be found on the Information Commissioner’s Office website at www.ico.org.uk
Funeral Directors from the region
Taunton & Wellington Area
Bridgwater & Burnham Area
Ashley Edwards 10 Church St, Highbridge 01278 794304
H Biffen & Sons 32 Wembdon Road, Bridgwater 01278 423333
Unwins The Firs, Underwood, 01749 679927 Wookey Hole Road, Wells
Heymock & Cullompton
Pring and Son 50 Fore Street, Cullompton 01884 32855
Walter H Squires 27 Higher Street, Cullompton 01884 839556
Crewkerne & Axminster
A E Stoodley & Son The Old Bank, 37 Market Square, 01460 73229 Crewkerne
A J Wakely 2 Abbey Street, Crewkerne 01460 74547
J F Clarke and Son Lyme Rd, Axminster 01297 32686
W G Potter William Potter House, West Street, 01297 34283
Funeral Directors Axminster
Cheddar
Cheddar and District Redcliffe Court, 3 Redcliffe Street, 01934 742958
Funeral Directors Cheddar
M J Sheppard Cornerways, Church Street, Cheddar 01934 742885
We wish to thank the advertisers and sponsors, without whom this publication would not be possible.
The Trust does not endorse any of the products or services they provide.
If any of the information contained in this pack is incorrect, for example, contact numbers and/or details, please inform the Bereavement & Medical Examiner Office at: Musgrove Park Hospital, 01823 343753
Yeovil Hospital, 01935 384746
Reference: Somerset NHS Foundation Trust Bereavement Book Review Date: July 2026
Publication Date: July 2024
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.
