Guidance and Support

Helpful information and support during difficult and emotional times.

First Steps

Dealing with the death of a loved one can be a difficult and emotional time. At Nottinghamshire Funeral Service, we understand the overwhelming nature of these emotions and we are here to offer help and guidance throughout the process. While we are able to take care of most tasks on your behalf, registering the death is one responsibility that requires your personal attention.

To assist you with this process, we have compiled a step-by-step guide on what to do when a death occurs.

Couple holding hands, sitting on couch.

If the Death Occurred at Home

In the event of a loved one's passing at home, certain actions must be taken, depending on whether the death was expected or unexpected, and whether it occurred during the day or at night.

If the death was natural and expected, it is necessary to contact the GP or community nurse in order to verify the death. Once the death has been confirmed, please contact us to arrange for the removal of the deceased into our care. Our service line is available 24 hours a day to assist you in this regard.

If the death was expected and natural, the GP or community nurse who has been looking after the deceased will be able to issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD). It is advisable to contact the GP in this instance to certify the death. The GP surgery will send the MCCD electronically to the local registrar's office.

In the event of an unexpected death, it is recommended that the police and ambulance services be contacted by dialing 999. The operator will provide instructions on what to do next.

If the cause of death is unknown, it is essential to avoid disturbing the area, except for the purpose of resuscitation. The police will then take charge of the situation, collect the deceased, and arrange for them to be taken to the Coroner.

Our Out of Hours Service Telephone Number

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If the Death Occurred at Hospital

In the event of a loved one's death at a hospital, it is necessary to await contact from a member of the Bereavement staff to discuss the cause of death.

Following agreement on the cause of death, the staff will send all relevant documentation to the registrars for processing. While this delay may seem inconvenient, it is possible that the doctor required to complete the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) may not be on duty at the time of the death.

The hospital staff will provide you with detailed guidance on the procedure to be followed. It is important to note that the MCCD is required for registration of the death, unless the coroner is involved.

Bereavement Number for Queens Medical Centre and Nottingham City Hospital

0115 970 9113

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If the Death Occurred at a Care Home or Nursing Home

In the event that a loved one has passed away while under the care of a nursing or care home, it is customary for the General Practitioner (GP) to issue the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).

The care home staff are responsible for contacting the GP on behalf of the family. Upon receipt of the MCCD, the GP's practice will subsequently forward it to the relevant registrar by electronic means.

The care home or GP's office staff will provide you with guidance and support throughout the process.

It is vital to secure the MCCD as it is a mandatory requirement for the registration of death, unless the coroner's involvement is necessary.

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Referral to the Coroner

The majority of deaths notified to the coroner are completely natural, but the cause of death is not certain. It is a legal requirement in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland that the cause of death is known and recorded.

The coroner is a senior and independent judicial officer and has coroner's officers working for him or her, who carry out investigations for the coroner.

Examples of deaths that are referred to a coroner are those where the cause of death is not known, as a result of an accident, resulting from medical treatment, or which are suspicious. The police or a doctor informs the coroner. This could also occur if their GP is not around to sign the MCCD.

Firstly, the coroner will look at all the relevant documentation and speak with doctors that have been involved. If a cause of death can be ascertained, then someone from the coroner’s office will speak to the nearest relative or their representative, to discuss the cause of death.

If the next of kin agrees it will be referred back to their GP or the hospital where they passed away. If the next of kin does not agree, then a post-mortem will need to take place.

The Post-Mortem Process

The post-mortem is an external and internal examination of the body. The purpose of the examination is to determine the cause of death and it is not done for research or any other purpose.

It may be necessary to keep very small samples of tissue and fluid from the body for further testing. You will be told if this is necessary and given a choice about what happens to the samples in the future.

If you’re a relative of the person who has died, they do not need your permission to do this. But you are entitled to have a doctor represent you at the post-mortem.

If you ask for this, the coroner will tell you when and where the post-mortem will be. If the person dies in hospital, you may ask the coroner to arrange for the post-mortem to be carried out by a pathologist not employed at or connected to that hospital.

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What Happens Next?

If the cause of death is found to be natural and there are no other circumstances requiring an inquest, the coroner will provide a document instead of an MCCD allowing the death to be registered.

This is often sent directly to the registrar, but you may be asked to collect it in person.

If the death was not due to natural causes or further tests are needed to find the cause of death, the coroner will open an inquest. They will usually release the body for the funeral at this time.

The coroner's officer will inform your funeral director when they can collect the body to prepare for the funeral.

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