When someone dies not only do relatives, or those closest to them, have to deal with the distress of losing a loved one but can also face the worry of what they should do next. In some cases it’s understandable that they may want to find out why the person has died, find out if they can see their loved one and find out what legally they need to do.
When a person dies in hospital, however, it is often reassuring to know that there are people available such as a hospital chaplain, bereavement or welfare officer, consultants, doctors and nurses who will be able to guide the bereaved through this difficult period.
Visiting a loved one
Following the death, for example, a hospital chaplain will be able to accompany the bereaved to visit their loved one either in the ward where they died or in the hospital mortuary.
Finding out what to do
Bereavement or welfare officers are also often available to supply important information about, for example, registering the death and about local funeral directors and answer some of the questions which no doubt arise.
Legally there is a responsibility to register the death with the local Registrar. To do this a death certificate needs to be taken to them in the days after the death. The certificate will be made available by the hospital and often people collect this as they collect any personal belongings of their loved ones. Ward staff can often help with this.
Once funeral arrangements begin it may also be necessary to get, and even pay for, a separate form which has been signed by two doctors to allow for a cremation to take place.
The Directgov website has a "checklist" to help guide you through the complete process - see the What to do when someone dies checklist.
Finding out why a loved one has died
Finding out why a loved one has died is often important to the bereaved too and if the ward staff are unable to satisfy any questions, they should be able to gain this information from the consultant a few days after the death.
Of course, however, sometimes a death may be sudden or unexpected and it may be more difficult for doctors to know the actually cause. In this case it may be necessary for a post mortem to be conducted, subject to a relatives approval.
Post Mortems
Post mortems will be carried out by a pathologist who will be able to look at different organs in the body, conduct tests and even analyse body tissue to find out what has led to the death.
It can then take several days to find the results of a post mortem and even then only the next of kin or a legal executor, or someone acting on their behalf, will be able to gain access to the results and this is not done automatically. Usually results will automatically be sent to the appropriate consultant or GP who will be able to analyse them and then, if necessary, answers any questions the bereaved may have about the death.
Sometimes the results may contain information that the bereaved may find upsetting or difficult to understand so the role of a medical professional in explaining the results is vital at this stage.
Role of the Coroner
If the cause of death is difficult to determine, or the death was violent or unexpected, it may be necessary for a local Coroner to investigate the death too.
The Coroner will take charge of the body and may decide to hold their own, independent post mortem which relatives will have no right to object to. In some cases, however, relatives will ask for a local Corner to investigate a death if they have been worried, for example, about the care of a loved one in hospital and which they believe may have led to the death. Details of Coroners can be found in any local telephone book.
More on Coroner investigation here >
An Inquest
A Coroner may then decide that a public hearing, or inquest, is necessary to look at the cause of death. This is particularly relevant where is not clear why the person has died, if it has been unexpected, as a result of an accident at work or industrial disease, or if there is concern about the medical treatment or care that has been given.
An inquest aims to find out who has died, when they died, where they died, and how they came to die. and it can often take up to 12 months to find out the answers. If it is likely that the inquest could take some time, a Coroner will often open an inquest and then adjourn it until a later date so that the body can be released for burial.
Many families at this time also consider seeking assistance from a solicitor to represent them at an inquest and to make sure any questions they may have about the death are answered. Irwin Mitchell is able to offer this service.