| What should you
do if someone dies? |
|
This is probably something
you won't have considered but it pays to have an idea of what
you should do in the event that you are present when someone dies.
Obviously different circumstances will mean different actions but
here are a few general guidelines.
|
| When someone dies
unexpectedly |
|
When someone dies unexpectedly, it is best to call the police
first.
They will take down the details of the death and report
it to a Coroner. The Coroner usually consults the family doctor
about the death. If the cause of death is certain, the doctor
will begin the process of filling in the appropriate documentation.
If the cause is not certain, the Coroner will start an investigation.
When you have alerted the police, the next of kin should be informed
as well as the family doctor and then the services of a Funeral
Director should be enlisted by yourself or the next of kin. Funeral Directors will guide you through the processes involved
when someone dies.
|
| If someone dies
whilst at home or in care |
|
If a person die in care or in hospital a
doctor will be called to issue the medical death certificate.
If a person dies in their own home, the family doctor should be
notified. The doctor will then visit to confirm the death
and issue a medical death certificate if he is certain of the cause.
If the cause is uncertain the doctor will liaise with a coroner
to ascertain the cause of death and then issue the medical death
certificate.
|
| Medical Death Certificate
and Death Certificate |
|
A medical death certificate (usually
issued by the family doctor) indicating cause of death and a death
certificate issued by the area Registrar are essential documents
to have before you can start making funeral arrangements.
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| Registering the
Death |
|
It is a legal requirement that the death is registered
by the registrar in the area where the death occurred.
If the death occurred somewhere which is not local then it is possible
to contact a local registrar who will take
down details and send it to the relevant registrar for you. However,
this process will obviously take longer and you cannot start funeral
proceedings until you have the death certificate. Registrar
details can be found in the phone book under Registration of Births,
Marriages and Deaths. This registration should be done by the next
of kin.
You will need to provide the
Registrar with the medical death certificate before they can proceed
with issuing the death certificate.
|
| Additional copies
of Death Certificate |
|
It is worth requesting a number
of copies of the death certificate because you will probably need
them for insurance purposes, etc. Requesting them at a later date
can be expensive.
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| Funeral Directors
|
|
Funeral Directors look after arrangements as
soon as they are informed of the deceased. You
can usually ring them at any time and they will advise you as to what
you need to do next. They will organise for the deceased to be moved
to a chapel of rest, take care of any fees (initially), obtain relevant
documentation and inform you how you should go about registering the
death. They will invoice you when their services are complete.
To ensure that you receive the best service
it is advisable to contact one of the associations of funeral directors
who adhere to certain codes of practice such as providing written
estimates.
The three main bodies are:
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