Bereavement Service

Bereavement Services

We are so very sorry for the loss of your relative or friend. The time after bereavement can be difficult and distressing. Our Patient Affairs Team will help guide you through the next steps of registering the death and the process of returning any personal belongings to you.

Our Patient Affairs Team will contact you via telephone the next working day to provide guidance and answer any queries you may have. If you would like to contact the Patient Affairs team, they are available Monday to Friday 8am - 4pm. You can call them on 0117 414 0184 or send an email to nbbs@nbt.nhs.uk.

Please provide your name, contact details and name of the deceased. If the telephone is not answered you can leave a message, and someone will call you back as soon as possible.

Funeral arrangements

You may wish to contact and appoint a funeral director before collecting the Certificate of Cause of Death. The funeral director will require the certificate for Burial or cremation (Green Form) which is issued by the Registry office.

Financial assistance toward the cost of the funeral may be available if you or your partner is receiving Income Support, Family Credit or Housing Benefit. For more information, please visit www.gov.uk/funeral-payments or telephone 0800 731 0469.

Cremation

If a cremation is planned the hospital will arrange for a doctor to sign the cremation form. The funeral director will require this form to finalise arrangements and will collect it directly from the hospital.

Viewing

We can organise viewings of the deceased with permission from the next of kin here at North Bristol Trust.

To arrange a viewing, please contact Mortuary Services on 0117 414 1700.

Medical examiner

Following a bereavement, many families seek reassurance that their loved one was properly cared for in hospital and want to understand the circumstances surrounding their death.

The Medical Examiner service has been introduced in England and Wales to increase understanding and peace of mind for families, as well as improve learning and patient safety in hospital by providing a review of care.

Medical Examiners are independent senior doctors who have not been involved in the care of the person who has died. Talking with a Medical Examiner can help you to understand the cause and circumstances of death. It also provides an opportunity to discuss any issues, concerns, or feedback regarding care that you may have with an independent team.

The Medical Examiners and Medical Examiner Officers work closely alongside existing Bereavement Services. If you would like to get in touch, please call the Medical Examiner Office and a member of our team would be happy to speak to you.

Contact details

The Sanctuary (Gate 30, Level One), Brunel Building, Southmead Hospital

Office hours – 8.30am - 4.30pm

0117 414 3447 or 0117 414 3448

Looking ahead

The time ahead may be a very difficult one for you. If you have any further questions, please contact a member of the Patient Affairs team.