Information about deaths at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and County Hospital

Following the death of your loved one, please telephone the Bereavement Centre after 9am the next working day. A member of the team will talk you through what to expect in the coming days. You can contact the Bereavement Centre by:-

Telephone

Royal Stoke University Hospital: 01782 676323

County Hospital: 01785 230532

Email (both sites)

bereavement.uhns@nhs.net

You will be asked the following questions about your loved one:-

•      Their main occupation, and whether there was an industrial background or industrial injuries benefit/pension.
• Whether they smoked.
• Whether you have decided on a funeral director.

Our team will arrange for one of the doctors involved in caring for your loved one to complete the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (medical certificate) as soon as possible. Whilst the hospital will make every effort to provide the medical certificate as quickly as possible, this can sometimes take a number of days.

A member of the Medical Examiner’s team will contact you to discuss the cause of death, and provide you with an opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns about the death. They will also advise you how to make an appointment to register the death.

For more information about the Medical Examiner Service, please click here. 

It is sometimes necessary for the doctor caring for your loved one to report their death to a Coroner (a special type of judge, appointed by a local authority to investigate certain deaths). There are strict legal requirements about which deaths should be reported to a Coroner.

National criteria on which deaths need to be reported to a Coroner can be found online: www.gov.uk/government/publications/guide-to-coroner-services-and-coroner-investigations-a-short-guide or alternatively you can request the guidance by emailing the Ministry of Justice (the part of the government responsible for the reportable deaths guidance): coroners@justice.gov.uk

A Coroner being involved in your loved one’s death doesn’t need to cause you any concern, although you should be aware that this will delay the process of issuing the medical certificate. After reviewing the circumstances of the death, the Coroner will decide one of the following options:-

1.  1. The death is due to natural causes and the doctor can issue a medical certificate.

2. A post mortem examination is required to establish the cause of death.

3. The doctor can give a cause of death, but there were unnatural features or circumstances leading to death, an investigation will be opened.

The Bereavement Centre team will call you to explain the Coroner’s decision and what this means. If necessary, your contact details will be provided to a nominated Coroner’s Officer, who will contact you at the earliest opportunity. The Coroner’s Officer will discuss the process and take details from you, to assist the Coroner’s investigation.

Eye and Tissue Donation

Transplants are one of the most miraculous achievements of modern medicine, but they depend entirely on the generosity of donors and their families who are willing to make this life-saving gift to others.

Tissue such as skin, bone, tendons, heart valves and corneas can be donated after death. This type of donation helps to repair or rebuild the lives of thousands of people affected by disease, injury or birth defects. One multi-tissue donor may be able to help enhance the lives of up to 50 people.

We have a team of Specialist Nurses for Eye and Tissue Donation based within the Bereavement Centre at the Royal Stoke University Hospital. If our team identify your loved one as a potential donor within 24 hours of their death, you may be contacted to discuss this further.

You may wish to call the National Referral Centre to express your wish to donate directly. To do this, please call 0800 432 0559 and leave a voicemail message. Every day between the hours of 8am and 8pm, a nurse will be available to respond to your message and offer advice.

Organ Donation

Organs that can be donated include the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver, pancreas and small bowel. One donor can give live to several people. The more people who pledge to donate, the more people stand to benefit.

Some people are not sure whether their religion would prevent them from agreeing to donate their organs after death – yet all the major religions in the UK support the principles of organ donation and transplantation. However, within each religion there are different schools of thought; which means that views may differ. All the major religions accept that organ donation is a very personal and individual choice.

For more information and to register your decision to opt in or opt out of the National Organ Donor Register, please visit www.organdonation.nhs.uk

The death of a loved one and the subsequent grief is a very individual experience, which each person responds to in their own way. Our booklet ‘Helping you cope with Bereavement’ outlines some of the emotions or feelings that you may encounter. There are also many specialist organisations listed in the booklet that you may find useful.

Further practical support is provided within the booklet including information on organising a funeral, getting help with funeral expenses, as well as a list of organisations to notify that your loved one has died.

Royal Stoke University Hospital: Royal Stoke University Hospital – Bereavement Support

County Hospital: County Hospital (Stafford) – Bereavement Support