We appreciate this is a difficult time and hope that this information and our bereavement office team can offer help, advice and support for relatives and carers of those who have died in our care. We will help to:
- advise about the medical certificate of cause of death
- explain the procedures for the registration of the death
- explain the procedure for returning the deceased's personal belongings
- refer you to our Swan Bereavement Support Nurses if you require support
- advise on the procedure for registering the death where a post mortem has been reported or undertaken.
You are not alone. We are here to support you.
Colleagues who have cared for your loved one wish to express their deepest, sincere sympathy to you and your family at this difficult time.
Supporting your loved ones wishes
It is important to us that we help to ensure your loved ones wishes are fulfilled. If you have discussed this with the ward team, they will advise, however please do not hesitate to contact them with any further questions or you can discuss with the Bereavement team.
Many lives are saved each year through organ donation. Organ donation requests are only made when people have died in the Accident and Emergency Department or the Intensive Care Unit.
Unlike organ donation, almost all patients that die in hospital can be considered for tissue donation. If your loved one expressed a wish, or you feel able to consider tissue donation, it may be helpful to know that heart valves, eyes (corneas) and other tissues can be donated up to 24 hours after a person has died. A family member can consent on behalf of the patient and it is not necessary to have a Donor Card. Donation will not delay funeral plans or alter the appearance of the deceased.
The decision to donate is very personal. If you wish to discuss this further or for more information, please speak to a ward staff member or call TISSUE SERVICES on 0800 432 0559 (24 hour freephone).
If you wish, the colleagues caring for your loved one can arrange for keepsakes such as handprints, hair locks or lip kisses. You may also wish to take photos of your loved one's hands. Please speak to the SWAN Bereavement Nurses or your chosen funeral director if this is something you would like to arrange.
We have introduced the role of the Medical Examiner in line with government requirements. The Medical Examiner is a senior Doctor who is not involved in the care of the patient, but who understands the circumstances surrounding the cause of death. The purposes of this role is to make it easier for bereaved relatives to understand the wording on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and to ensure that this information is correct by performing a review of the medical records.
Someone from the Medical Examiner's team will contact a designated family member to help you understand the cause of death. You will also be asked if you have any concerns regarding your loved one's care during their final illness. Although the Medical Examiner may not be able to answer your questions immediately, they will advise you regarding sources of additional support or information.
For a death that has occurred in Blackpool Victoria Hospital
What to do first
Contact the hospital Bereavement Office the next working day from 9am - 3pm. Please do not attend the hospital without first contacting the office, otherwise the necessary paperwork may not be ready for when you arrive.
You or your representative may be required to attend the office to collect any personal belongings or valuables. By law, a Medical Director is required to provide a medical certificate when a person has died, to confirm the death and to state the cause of death. The Medical Examiner's team will review the medical records and arrange for the Doctor to complete the paperwork as soon as possible. This is usually the next working day unless the death happened overnight, over a weekend or a bank holiday when it will be issued during the following two working days. Please note that this timescale is not guaranteed. We will:
- forward the Medical Certificate and Cause of Death (MCCD) to the Registrar's Office
- explain the procedures for registration of death
- return any remaining personal belongings and valuables to you
- inform you about and refer you to our SWAN Bereavement Nurses.
In some cases where the Doctor is uncertain about the reason or the circumstances of death it may not be possible for the Doctor to issue the MCCD. If the death was sudden or unexpected, the Doctor is legally obliged to inform the Coroner.
2. Contact a Funeral Director
You do not have to wait until the Medical Certificate or MCCD has been issued, however you may like to take time with this decision to compare costs and services provided.
3. Register the Death
Once the MCCD has been issues, we will arrange for this to be sent to the Registrar's Office at Blackpool Town Hall. Registering the death is a legal responsibility and should be done within 5 working days of the death. Families are being asked to contact the Registrar's Office to book an appointment and register the death here. If you do not have access to the internet, please call the office on 01253 477177.
For a death that has occurred in Clifton Hospital
What to do first
Call the ward the next working day from 11am onwards. Please do not attend the hospital without first contacting the ward, otherwise the necessary paperwork may not be ready for when you arrive.
You or your representative may be required to attend the office to collect any personal belongings or valuables. By law, a Medical Director is required to provide a medical certificate when a person has died, to confirm the death and to state the cause of death. The Medical Examiner's team will review the medical records and arrange for the Doctor to complete the paperwork as soon as possible, usually within 1-2 days. The same steps as listed above will be taken.
For contact details, please visit our telephone directory.
2. Contact a Funeral Director
You do not have to wait until the Medical Certificate or MCCD has been issued, however you may like to take time with this decision to compare costs and services provided.
3. Register the Death
Once the MCCD has been issued, we will arrange for this to be sent to the Registrar's Office. Registering the death is a legal responsibility and should be done within 5 working days of the death. If you anticipate any difficulties in the matter, do not hesitate to ask for advice from the Bereavement Office on 01253 953723.
4. Where to register
Deaths that have occurred in Clifton Hospital will need to be registered at a Registrar Office which is within Lancashire County Council area. In the Fylde Coast, these are located in Lytham and Fleetwood. You can make an appointment online here. If you do not have access to a computer, please call 0300 1236705. When you leave the hospital, a Funeral Director appointed by the hospital will take the deceased to their funeral home until the death has been registered. When this has taken place, the Funeral Director of your choice will bring the deceased into their care.
Who can register the death?
- a relative
- someone present at the death
- an administrator from the hospital
- the person making the funeral arrangements from the hospital.
What you will need to know
To register the death you will need to make an appointment and if possible take with you the NHS Medical Card and Birth Certificate of the deceased patient. The Registrar will ask you for the following information (you may like to fill in the spaces below before the appointment):
- the date and place of death
- full name and surname/family name
- date and place of birth of the deceased
- address including postcode of the deceased
- the last full time occupation of the deceased
- date and place of birth of surviving spouse / civil partner.
You will need to provide:
- maiden name / family name (if applicable)
- the husband's / wife's / civil partner's name even if deceased
- the husband's / wife's / civil partner's last occupation and whether retired.
This information will form an entry in the Death Register. You may also be asked for the reference number of any occupational pension paid out of public funds, apart from the state retirement pension.
The Registrar will give you:
- A green form which will be forwarded to your Funeral Director and the hospital Bereavement Office
- A white form to send to the Social Security Office (BD8)
- Copies of the death certificate for £11 each. Please ensure all spellings and identification details are accurate at time of registration as any amendments can incur a fee of up to £90.
A Coroner's Authorisation
If a death is referred to the Coroner, a Coroner's representative will contact you to prepare a report relating to the patient's medical history. This is standard procedure and should cause you any alarm.
In certain circumstances the Coroner may authorise the Doctor to issue an MCCD without the need for a post mortem. A death may not be registered until the Registrar has received written clearance. However, the Coroner may open and conclude an inquest without the need for a post mortem.
The Coroner may decide that post mortem is required. You cannot object to a post mortem, however the reasons why one is required will be fully explained to you and support will be provided. Once the post mortem has been completed you will receive a letter asking you to register the death. The Coroner will send the MCCD directly to the Registrar. This process usually takes a few days.
The Doctor who wrote the MCCD may ask your permission for a post mortem examination to assist in medical knowledge and teaching. Whether you grant permission is your decision. You will be given further information and if you do decide to permit it, you will be asked to sign a consent form.
If at any stage you are unclear about what is happening or would like further information, please ask. We appreciate that at such a difficult time it is sometimes hard to understand or remember information.
Visiting a loved one after they have died
It is up to you whether you would like to see the deceased again after they have died. You will usually be offered he opportunity on the ward, but some families/carers may wish to spend more time with their loved one. If you relative has died at Blackpool Victoria, they will be transferred to the care of our mortuary team whilst arrangements are made. If you wish, you can make an appointment to visit your loved one in our bereavement suite or you may prefer a visit at your chosen Funeral Directors.
To make an appointment at the hospital bereavement suite, please contact the bereavement office between 9am - 3.30pm. Out of hours or at weekends, visits are in exceptional circumstances only. Please contact the ward on which the death occurred via the hospital switchboard on 01253 300000.
If your relative died at Clifton Hospital, visiting is only possible at your chosen Funeral Director's.
The Funeral Director of your choice will advise you of the options and discuss the arrangements you wish to make. The funeral is your opportunity to say your goodbyes in a way that is appropriate for you and the person who has died. You may wish to choose who might lead the service (not necessarily a Minister of Religion), certain music or readings, and you or other relatives or friends may wish to take part in the service. Take time to consider the possibilities.
Leaflets are available at the Registrar's Office. Benefit Advice about funeral grants (payable to the responsible person if in receipt of qualifying benefit) may be obtained from The Social Fund. Call them on 0800 1690140 during office hours or visit the www.gov.uk website for more information.
For advice on bereavement benefit (may be payable to the widow(er) / civil partner if the deceased was under 60) call 0800 7310469 or visit the www.gov.uk website.
Any queries regarding pensions and allowances can be directed to the pension service on 0800 731 7898, Monday to Friday 8am - 8pm.
If the deceased was in receipt of a war pension, please call the Veterans Agency on 0800 169 2277 or visit the website for more information.
You will need the pension information and national insurance number of the deceased and next of kin.
You will need to complete form SF200 available from your local Job Centre Plus office. Call them on 0345 6088601 Monday - Friday from 8am - 6pm.
Please return NHS equipment to the loan store it was issued from. Call us on 01253 951122 or 01772 286573 for collection.
Settling the deceased person's estate can be confusing, time consuming and distressing. If you have been named as an executor in the Will, responsibility for carrying out the person's wishes lies with you. This will include payment of funeral expenses, debts and taxes as well as arrangements for possessions and other assets.
It is wise to avoid making hasty decisions about the future. The length of time will vary for each individual, but gradually you will realise that you are more able to cope with your bereavement. Then will be the time for thinking about plans for the future.
GRIEF: when someone dies
Every person feels different when a loved one dies. There is no right or wrong way to feel. Some will prefer to deal with their feelings on their own, while others seek support from friends, a person or a group of people who have had similar experiences of grief. Others may prefer to contact a person with professional training such as a Counsellor or Psychologist. What is important is that there is support available and it is normal to need support in coming to terms with your loss.
Emotional feelings following bereavement
- guilt and regret - that you may not have said or done everything you wanted to say or do, especially if the death was sudden and unexpected
- injustice - why did they have to die? Why did this happen to me?
- envy - others may have what you no longer have since losing your loved one
- anger - that they couldn't be cured, that others survived, angry with your loved one that they died and now you are suffering
- loneliness - you may feel no-one understands
- depression - a natural part of the mourning process. The feeling that there is no point in going on: losing interest in life
- relief - that your loved one is no longer suffering.
Talking to children about death
Adults often feel the need to protect children from death. They may feel children will not understand or that they will be too upset, however we can often underestimate a child's resources and ability to cope. Children often find it harder if they are not told what is happening and they may be more frightened by imagined events.
Children should be told the facts in a simple manner, using appropriate words such as 'dead', 'death' or 'died' rather than 'lost' or 'asleep'. Give them time to ask questions and offer plenty of reassurance.
It is helpful for adults to share feelings with children, such as feelings of sadness. By doing this they learn that it is natural to feel sad when someone dies. Children may like to draw pictures as part of their way of saying goodbye to express their sadness and feelings.
'Tell us Once' brings together several organisations so that people do not need to notify them individually of the death.
To use the service, the death must have been registered. The Registrar will give you information about the service when you register. You can find more information on the website here.
Please be aware they do not inform:
- Royal Mail
- Utilities
- TV Licensing
- Bank / Building society
- Library cards / season tickets
- Insurance companies
- Rental companies
Good Grief Trust
Offering a range of comprehensive information and support groups - "Help and Hope" in one place, both local and national information you may find useful. Visit the website here.
- Age UK, Blackpool and District
- Coping Alone - Fylde and Wyre Residents only
- Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) - Blackpool: 0808 2787818 Fylde: 0808 2787880
- Sudden Bereavement
- Talking Therapies
- Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide - 0300 111 5065
- Widows' Fellowship Group - 01253 691600
- Linden Centre Information & Support Centre - 01253 952582
- Counselling in Blackpool
- Fylde Counselling service - 01253 720270
