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What to do when a death occurs

When a death occurs, there are certain steps that you must take immediately. If the death occurred suddenly, or the death was unexpected or suspicious in any way, you must call the police immediately. They will inform you of the necessary steps moving forward. Otherwise, you will need to make two calls. One to the family doctor, or the doctor on call, who will have to issue the death certificate. You will then need to call us at E Taylor and Son to advise you, and to bring the deceased into our care.

We are available 24 hours a day on 01993 842 421.

Introduction

The first steps – If the death is at home you should contact the family doctor. In many cases, the certificate will be sent from the doctor to the medical examiner. If the death is in a hospital or residential home, those in charge will contact a doctor or district nurse, who will normally certify that a death has taken place and issue a death certificate. If the cause of death is uncertain, it will be reported to the Coroner. In any event it is advisable to contact us without delay.

Bringing the deceased into our care

This does not have to take place immediately; some families wish to wait until other family members have arrived to say their goodbyes at home. It is obligatory to await the attendance of a doctor before arranging for the deceased to be collected by the Funeral Director. Our staff members are trained to remove the deceased sensitively and efficiently with the utmost respect. The deceased will usually be placed on a special stretcher-trolley and taken to our premises in a purpose-built funeral vehicle with the necessary health and safety being adhered to. Care is taken to follow instructions regarding jewellery and other personal items.

Visiting the deceased

The decision of whether or not anyone is to visit a loved one is a very personal one. Some people take comfort from seeing their loved one at rest, and a private remembrance room is available at our funeral home to allow you to do this.

Please feel free to discuss these options with the us, or call to make an appointment to visit your loved one in our remembrance rooms.

Registering the death

Registration in most cases should take place prior to the funeral. A relative of the deceased usually registers the death, however if no relative is available then the duty may be performed by any person present at the death, the occupier of the premises where the death took place, or the person who is accepting responsibility for arranging the funeral. It may be necessary to arrange an appointment with the Registrar.