The First Steps When someone passes away, that initial wave of loss is often followed by a million questions about what happens next. The most important thing we can tell you is this: please, take a breath. There is no immediate rush. Whether your loved one was at home, in a nursing home, or in hospital, the first few hours are for you and your family to simply be together. If the death happens at home, your first call is usually to a GP or the out-of-hours service just to verify the death. Once that’s done, you can call us at any hour, day or night. We’ll quietly step in to bring your loved one into our care at our Heathfield home. They’ll be collected by our family and stay safely with us in our private facilities. You might notice that the time line feels a little slower than it used to be. This is because of a relatively new system involving a Medical Examiner who is an independent doctor who reviews the cause of death to ensure everything is exactly as it should be. They will have a brief chat with the GP or hospital doctor, and they may also give you a call just to check if you have any questions or concerns. This process is there to protect everyone, but it does mean it can take a few days before the final paperwork is sent over to the Registrar. We’ll be keeping a close eye on things for you, so you aren’t left wondering what’s happening. Once the Medical Examiner has finished their review, they’ll send the necessary details electronically to the Registrar’s office. This is your cue to book an appointment to formally register the death, which usually needs to happen within five days of the paperwork being released. While we can’t do the actual registration for you as that’s something a family member or someone present at the time must do, the Registrars in East Sussex are lovely people who will make the process very straightforward. They will give you the “Green Form,” which is the key we need to move forward with the funeral. They’ll also offer the “Tell Us Once” service, which is a huge help; it lets all the government departments know at once, saving you from making endless difficult phone calls. From that point on, the path becomes much clearer, and we’ll be right there to help you with every single detail that follows.
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