Bereavement service
The Trust now offers short-term support following a bereavement. There are booklets available to patients and staff entitled:
- Help in the early days following your loss
- Helping you to cope with bereavement
If you would like to access this support or make any comments about the bereavement service please contact Janet Wright, Bereavement officer on 01733 874062.
The following summary gives the steps you need to take in the early days of bereavement with each step explained in more detail from page two onwards in the book.
Step 1 - Viewing your relative
If you wish to view the deceased, you must contact the hospital to make an appointment. In this way we can guarantee you some privacy.
Step 2 - Obtaining the Medical Certificate
Contact the Bereavement officer on 01733 874062 to check if the medical certificate is ready and to arrange a time to collect it. This is essential for you to register the death.
Step 3 - Deaths referred to HM Coroner
If you have been advised that HM Coroner has been informed of the death, then it is possible you may not receive any paperwork from the Hospital and may not need to make an appointment with the Bereavement officer. In these circumstances you are advised to contact the following numbers below for further information.
- Pauline Gamble - 01733 424459
- Lesley Edmonds - 01733 424450
Step 4 - Registering the death
This must be done within five days of death at the Register Office. There is an appointment system in operation. You will need to take certain documents with you and the Registrar will issue you with a Certificate for Burial or Cremation.
Step 5 - Arranging the Funeral
Funeral Directors arrange the burial or cremation for you.
Step 6 - Other people to contact you
If a post mortem is required you cannot progress past step one until this has been completed.
Booklets are available by contacting the Bereavement office 01733 874062.
