Bereavement

If you have recently had a bereavement the doctors and staff at Selston Surgery would like to offer our sincere condolences to you and your family for your loss. Unfortunately, at this distressing time, there are many decisions and arrangements which need to be made for which you might need information.

In the unfortunate event that a person has passed away, there are three things that must be done in the first few days;

• Get a medical certificate from your GP or hospital doctor (this is necessary to register the death)
• Register the death within 5 days (8 days in Scotland). You will then receive the necessary documents for the funeral.
• Make the necessary funeral arrangements.

Please see the new Bereavement Guide to help you through some practical aspects of what comes next: Bereavement Guide

Register the death

If the death has been reported to the coroner (or Procurator Fiscal in Scotland) they must give permission before registering the death.

You can register the death if you are a relative, a witness to the death, a hospital administrator or the person making the arrangements with the funeral directors.

You can use the ‘Register a Death’ page on the gov.uk website that will guide you through the process. This will also explain the registration process for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Arrange the funeral

The funeral can usually only take place after the death is registered. Most people use a funeral director, though you can arrange a funeral yourself.

Funeral directors

Choose a funeral director who’s a member of one of the following:

• • National Association of Funeral Directors

• • National Federation of Funeral Directors

• • Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors

These organisations have codes of practice – they must give you a price list when asked.

Some local councils run their own funeral services, for example for non-religious burials. The British Humanist Association can also help with non-religious funerals.

Arranging the funeral yourself

Contact the Cemeteries and Crematorium Department of your local council to arrange a funeral yourself.

Funeral costs

Funeral costs can include:

• funeral director fees
• things the funeral director pays for on your behalf (called ‘disbursements’ or ‘third-party costs’), for example, crematorium or cemetery fees, or a newspaper announcement about the death
• local authority burial or cremation fees

Funeral directors may list all these costs in their quotes.

FOR HELP DEALING WITH GRIEF 

• Home – Cruse Bereavement Support

• Arch – Abortion Recovery Care and Helpline (archtrust.org.uk)

ARCH is dedicated to promoting the emotional, psychological and spiritual well-being of clients,                the provision of real understanding, counselling and supportive help to women, men and families              after an abortion.

• At a Loss – ataloss.org
  The UK’s signposting website for the bereaved. They can help you find bereavement services and counselling. They also have resources on coronavirus pandemic bereavement.

• Bereaved through Alcohol and Drugs (BEAD) – beadproject.org.uk
  Information and support for anyone bereaved through drug or alcohol use.

• Brake, The Road Safety Charity www.brake.org.uk/supportSupport for bereaved and seriously injured victims of road crashes Brake offers emotional support, help and information to anyone who has experienced a death or serious injury in a road crash, their carers and professionals working with them.0808 8000 401Switchboard 01484 559909

• Child Bereavement UK  – 0800 028 8840
  childbereavementuk.org
  Support when a baby or child of any age is dying, or a child is facing bereavement.

• CISWO – The Coal Mining Charity
  CISWO | Coal Industry Social Welfare OrganisationImproving the lives of those facing disadvantage due to the impact of the coal mining industry. We’re here to improve the lives of former coal miners and their families. Includes emotional support through loss and bereavement, illness and caring responsibilities, as well as other assistance. 01623 625767 – East Midlands 01709 728115

• The Compassionate Friends – 0345 123 2304
  tcf.org.uk
  Provides support to bereaved families after the death of a child.

• Dying Matters  – https://www.hospiceuk.org/our-campaigns/dying-matters
  Coalition of individual and organisational members across England and Wales, aiming to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.

• The Good Grief Trustthegoodgrieftrust.org
  Charity run by the bereaved, helping all those suffering grief in the UK. Can help you find reassurance, advice and support. They have a detailed page of coronavirus bereavement advice. 

• Miscarriage Support Group, Nottingham

  A self-help group that aims to provide a safe environment in which men and women experiencing the grief of losing a pregnancy, can come together to share their experiences and provide each other with mutual support. Also has a site of Facebook. Works closely with and is being supported by the National Miscarriage Association. A religious neutral group.

  Also run a second support group for women currently pregnant following a miscarriage.

  Contact Name:  Kymm

  Telephone: 07870 771 326 (Daytime and evenings)
  01949 200 1326 Miscarriage Association Helpline (Mon-Fri 9am- 4pm)

  E-mail:   kymmiestroud@hotmail.com

• National Association of Widows

  The National Association of Widows is a charity offering support and friendship to widows and widowers and women and men who have lost their partners through bereavement; largely through a system of self-help branches. There is currently a branch in Mansfield and other groups in the pipeline – contact head office for details.

  Telephone: 0845 838 2261/024 7663 4848 (answerphone at times)

  E-mail: info@nawidows.org.uk

  Website: www.nawidows.org.uk

• Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People

  As the East Midlands’ only hospice for children and young people, Rainbows is a place where life-limited children and their families can find care and support.

  The incredible team of people help relieve symptoms, improve quality of life, support parents and siblings through their bereavements, and care for children until the end.

  Telephone: 01509 638000

  E-mail: administration@rainbows.co.uk

  Website: www.rainbows.co.uk

• Samaritans116 123 (freephone)
  jo@samaritans.org
  Freepost SAMARITANS LETTERS
  samaritans.org
  Samaritans are open 24/7 for anyone who needs to talk. You can visit some Samaritans branches in person. Samaritans also have a Welsh Language Line on 0808 164 0123 (7pm–11pm every day).

• Sands0808 164 3332
  sands.org.ukSands is the leading stillbirth and neonatal death charity in the UKSands provides bereavement support services both nationally through its Freephone helpline, mobile app, online community and resources, and locally through a UK-wide network of around 100 regional support groups.The Sands National Helpline provides a safe, confidential place for anyone who has been affected by the death of a baby. Whether your baby died long ago or recently, we are here for you.

• Snowflake Grief and Bereavement Care

  Bereavement support service, offering group and one to one sessions, help and guidance, whilst working through the grieving process, from a fully trained and qualified facilitator.

  The Grief Support Programme – The Grief Support Programme is a fully guided and structured eight week course. This is for two hours per week, either in the early evening or during the day. It is designed to help and support you to come to terms with your loss, in a very warm, welcoming, empathic and supportive manner.

  Contact Name: Anne-Marie Lawrence-Smith

  Contact Position: Grief Support Facilitator

  Telephone: 07523 210 131

  E-mail: snowflakegbc@sky.com

  Website:  www.snowflake-griefandbereavementcare.co.uk

   

• Sudden0800 2600 400
  sudden.org
  Support for people bereaved by sudden death.

• Survivors of Bereavement by Suicide (SOBS)uk-sobs.org.uk
  Emotional and practical support and local groups for anyone bereaved or affected by suicide.

• War Widows Association of Great Britain

  The War Widows’ Association is essentially a pressure group and exists to campaign and improve the conditions of War Widows and their dependants in Great Britain.

  Its work encompasses those who have suffered bereavement as a result of World War II and all conflicts since then including Iraq and Afghanistan. The WWA also represents those who have suffered the loss of their partner and in peacetime, when the death was attributable to their service life.

  Telephone: 0845 2412 189

  E-mail: info@warwidows.org.uk

  Website: www.warwidows.org.uk

• Widowed and Young (WAY)widowedandyoung.org.uk
  Offers a peer-to-peer support network to anyone who was aged 50 or under when their partner died.

If you would like any more information, please feel free to contact the surgery for advice.