Experiencing the death of a loved one is a very difficult time.
There are some essential processes that are are required to take place by law.
- If an expected death (someone who was suffering from long term/terminal illness) occurs at the patient's address or place of care, within practice opening hours, please contact us.
- If a death occurs outside of these hours, please contact 111.
A medical professional will need to visit the deceased to verify the death. A death certificate can then be arranged. This is required for the Registrar service to register the death.
Once we are notified of a death, we will inform the Medical Examiner. If we can provide a cause of death a signed certificate will be given to the Medical Examiner for approval. Once the Medical Examiner has approved and countersigned it, the Registrar's office will be notified.
If the Doctor is able to determine a cause of death, we will advise the local Medical Examiner. The Medical Examiner's office usually respond very quickly. They often wish to speak to the next of kin or relative to answer any questions they may have. You can read more about this by visiting:
Medical examiner service (mse.nhs.uk)
In some cases, an unexpected death will need to be referred to the coroner. A coroner is responsible for investigating and making decisions about an unexpected or sudden death. Find out more on the Essex Coroner's Service website.
Further support can be found online. If you are struggling with a bereavement, contact us to arrange to speak to a member of the clinical team to get personalised support.