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When someone dies

Losing someone is hard. This page explains what happens after a death, and where to find support.

What you need to do

Several legal and medical steps have to be finished before a death can be registered. Most are done for you.

You do not usually need to come to the surgery to collect paperwork.

What happens after a death

  1. The death is reported. The hospital, GP practice, care home or another health professional does this
  2. A medical examiner reviews it. They look at the medical records, the circumstances, and the proposed cause of death
  3. Someone from the medical examiner’s office may contact you. They explain the cause of death in plain language, and check whether you have questions or anything feels unclear. This is not an investigation, and does not mean something has gone wrong
  4. The medical certificate of cause of death is completed and sent electronically to the register office. You do not need to collect it from us
  5. You register the death. The register office will tell you how, and arrange an appointment if you need one. Funeral arrangements can only go ahead once the death is registered

What a medical examiner is

A medical examiner is a senior doctor who was not involved in the person’s care.

They check independently that the cause of death is accurate and the process was followed properly. They read the medical records and talk to the doctor who cared for the patient.

They may also talk to the next of kin or a family representative. That is a chance to ask questions and understand what happened.

When a coroner is involved

A coroner gets involved when a death cannot be clearly explained, or the law requires an investigation. That usually means:

  • the cause of death is unknown or uncertain
  • the death was sudden and unexpected
  • it may have been caused by an accident, injury or violence
  • the person had not seen a doctor recently

In these cases a doctor cannot issue a certificate straight away. The coroner decides whether more investigation is needed, which may include a post-mortem examination.

If this happens, someone will explain what is going on and guide you through it.

If you have questions or concerns

You can raise a concern at any point, and we would encourage you to. You can:

  • ask questions about the cause of death
  • ask for an explanation in plain language
  • say if something does not feel right

Raising a concern will not delay funeral arrangements.

The medical examiner’s office will usually contact you, and you can speak to them openly. You can also contact us and we will help.

We cannot issue death certificates ourselves once the medical examiner process has started, and we may be waiting for their confirmation too.

Support after a bereavement

You do not have to cope alone. We can point you to services that offer emotional support, practical advice, or just someone to talk to.

Please contact us if you think support would help.