The Beacon Medical Centre

Bereavement

Becoming bereaved can be an incredibly stressful and upsetting time, click here for advice.

During the COVID19 Pandemic some of these processes have changed, please ring the surgery on 01395 512601 so we can advise you on the latest information.

If Death Occurs At Home

  1. Telephone the surgery 01395 512601 if during practice hours,or 111 if we are closed,  A medical practitioner will visit to confirm that death has taken place.
  2. Contact a funeral director.
  3. Arrange to collect the doctor’s Medical Certificate of Death (usually from the surgery).
  4. Take this to the Registrars Office, (together with the deceased’s Medical Card and Birth Certificate, if available) for the area in which the death took place. Alternatively you can register by declaration at any convenient Registrars Office but certificates will not be available as these will have to be posted to you a few days later.
  5. The Registrar will normally issue a Green coloured certificate for you to give to your funeral director who will look after necessary arrangements for the funeral. The Registrar will also issue a white notification certificate for the DSS. They will also enquire as to the number of Certified Copies you require for dealing with the deceased finances (a fee is payable for each copy).

If The Death Occurs In Hospital

  1. Contact a funeral director to inform him his services are required.
  2. Collect the certificate from the hospital then follow 4 – 5 as above

Note For Cremation

Your funeral director will usually liaise directly with the surgery regarding the additional certification required.

Cruse Bereavement Care

Cruse Bereavement Care is the leading national charity for bereaved people in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. We offer support, advice and information to children, young people and adults when someone dies and work to enhance society’s care of bereaved people.

Cruse offers face-to-face, telephone, email and website support. We have a national helpline and local services, and a website and free phone helpline specifically for children and young people. Our services are provided by trained volunteers and are confidential and free. Cruse also provides training and consultancy for external organisations and for those who may encounter bereaved people in the course of their work.

Read more about what Cruse Bereavement Care can help you with, click here

Date published: 8th June, 2020
Date last updated: 22nd November, 2023