There are three things you need to do in the first few days after someone dies in hospital:
1. Contact the relevant Bereavement Office after 10 am on the next working day after the person died. Contact details can be found at the bottom of the page.
During this telephone call staff in the bereavement office will discuss with you what happens next and take some information from you. When the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) has been completed the Bereavement Team will contact you and make an appointment with you to go through the information. This may be in person or over the phone. The MCCD will be sent electronically to the Leeds City Council Registrars in order for them to contact you to register the death. The Registrar may contact you, or you may be asked to make an appointment to register the death. The Bereavement Team will let you know what to do.
2. Register the death with the Leeds City Council Registrars.
Staff at the bereavement office will give further information on how to do this at during your appointment. The Register Office may contact you by telephone to register the death and will explain how to order copies of the death certificate. Or, you may be asked to call 0113 222 4408 to make an appointment with the Leeds Registrar.
3. Arrange the funeral
You can use a funeral director or arrange this yourself. Find out more about arranging a funeral.
Patient property and valuables
The Bereavement Team can arrange for you to pick up any property or valuables your relative or friend had in the hospital. These will be kept in quarantine for five days and then an appointment arranged with you to collect them. If there is property you do not wish to be returned, the hospital can arrange to dispose of this or to donate property to the Leeds Hospital Charity.
Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust Bereavement Office contact details:
St James’s University Hospital – 0113 206 4162 (Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.30 pm).
Leeds General Infirmary – 0113 392 3560 (Monday to Friday 8.30 am to 4.30 pm). Email: [email protected]
There is more information in:
Supporting people with disabilities coping with grief and loss (1MB pdf)
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