At Home

Whether or not the death is expected, a doctor must, on every occasion, be contacted. Once a doctor has indicated it will be possible to issue the "cause of death" medical certificate then the deceased may be removed. Although these days, most families would require us to take the deceased to our Chapel of Rest soon after death, some families may prefer to stay with their loved one for a while. Whatever the wishes we will of course respect them and carry out the removal whenever it is preferred.

At a Nursing or Residential Home

Even though professional nursing staff may be in attendance at the home a qualified doctor would need to be contacted before the deceased can be removed.  On most occasions the staff would, on the family's behalf, arrange for the funeral director to remove the deceased to their Chapel of Rest.

At Hospital

When a death occurs in a hospital, the medical staff will take care of the immediate arrangements and have the deceased taken to the hospital mortuary. The family would then be requested to attend the hospital's bereavement office to collect the necessary forms and personal effects.

H M Coroners Involvement

When a death is unexpected and the cause of death unclear, or when the death is of a suspicious nature, an accident or industrial disease, the doctor certifying the death is legally bound to report these circumstances to the coroner.

The coroner's involvement, in most cases, is a formality and although an examination would normally be made to ascertain the cause of death, this should not delay the funeral taking place.

In circumstances where the coroner feels the death is not due to natural causes or is a result of an industrial disease, a formal inquest may be held. If this is the case, you will be informed by the coroner and ourselves of the necessary procedures.