Reporting a death & bereavement
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.
If the Doctor is able to determine a cause of death, we will advise the local Medical Examiner in order to confirm this. The Medical Examiner's office usually respond very quickly. Sometimes they may wish to speak to the next of kin or relative. 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.