Death In Professional Care

What To Do When Someone Dies In Professional Care

When a loved one passes away in a hospital, care home or another professional care setting, it can feel overwhelming for family members. Understanding the steps that follow can make this difficult time a little easier to manage. The guide below explains what usually happens and what you may need to do next.

At James Keen Independent Funeral Directors, we are always available to provide advice and support if you need help at any stage.

When Someone Dies In A Care Home

If a person dies while living in a care home, the trained staff will manage the immediate procedures and ensure that the correct steps are followed.

If family members are not present at the time of death, the care home will contact the next of kin as soon as possible to inform them.

When the death has been expected, either the care home staff or the family will contact the person’s GP. In most cases the doctor will issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death, which is required before the death can be registered.

If the death was unexpected, the GP or care home may need to inform the coroner. The coroner may then review the circumstances surrounding the death and decide whether further investigation or an inquest is required. During this process, registration of the death may be delayed until the cause of death has been confirmed. Your funeral director will be able to explain the process and help guide you through the next steps.

When Someone Dies In Hospital

If a loved one dies in hospital, the hospital staff will contact the next of kin or closest family members to inform them.

Many hospitals have a bereavement office that helps families understand the procedures that follow a death. If a bereavement service is not available, ward staff will usually explain what happens next and who you should contact.

After death, the person will normally remain in the hospital mortuary until arrangements are made for a funeral director to bring them into their care.

If the death was expected, a hospital doctor will issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. Once this has been completed, the death can be registered and funeral arrangements can begin.

If the death was unexpected, it may be referred to the coroner to determine the circumstances surrounding the death. In these cases, registration cannot take place until the coroner has completed their review. Although this can sometimes delay funeral arrangements, your funeral director will keep you informed and support you throughout the process.

Registering The Death

Once the cause of death has been confirmed by a doctor or the coroner, the next step is to register the death with the local register office.

In most cases, a death must be registered within:

• Five days in England, Wales and Northern Ireland

• Eight days in Scotland

After the death has been registered, the registrar will provide the Certificate for Burial or Cremation, which allows funeral arrangements to proceed.