Guidance for the first steps
At Home Or In A Nursing Home
The first contact should be with the deceased’s doctor who, if satisfied with the cause of death, will issue the Medical Certificate of Death. The doctor will send the Death Certificate directly to the Registrars, who you should contact as soon as possible to begin the registration process. If you think the death was suspicious, unexpected or unexplained, please contact the police right away.
Contact Affertons once the doctor or police have been informed and we will guide you through the next steps.
In Hospital
A doctor will issue the Medical Certificate of Death and will send a copy of this to the Registrars, who you should contact as soon as possible to begin the registration process. There will be occasions where a doctor will be unable to sign a death certificate for various reasons and under those circumstances they are duty bound to report the death to the Procurator Fiscal.
Get in touch with Affertons and allow us to gently guide you through the funeral arrangement process.
Suddenly & Unexpectedly
The Procurator Fiscal (Scotland) or the Coroner (England and Wales) will generally
become involved. If the deceased has not been under a doctor’s care recently, the emergency doctor, or any police involved, are duty bound to inform the appropriate authorities.
Contact Affertons as soon as possible. We’ll advise on the procedures involved and
liaise with the Procurator Fiscal’s office. Any Police involvement may delay the timing of the funeral.
Abroad
If someone dies abroad, you should register the death according to the regulations of the country they passed away in. A local death certificate can usually be used in the UK. However, if it’s not in English, you will need to get a certified translation if you’re dealing with the person’s affairs.
Deaths abroad can be quite complex and the processes somewhat overwhelming.
Contact us here at Affertons Funeral Care to take care of these matters for you.