We’re very sorry for your loss and understand this can be a very difficult and distressing time.
The ward or department where your loved one was being cared for when they passed, should provide with a Bereavement Booklet to support you through the next steps such as getting a death certificate, registering the death and the local and national support available to you.
Find advice and support for coping with bereavement and grief, including help with bereavement in children and young people on the NHS website.
What to do following a death
The gov.uk website has a thorough step-by step guide on what to do when someone dies.
We will provide a medical certificate of cause of death. Our Bereavement Administration Officers will liaise with doctors and ward staff to obtain this (and any other necessary papers) in a timely manner. The officers will then contact you to make an appointment for you to come into the hospital to collect the certificate.
The Bereavement Administration Office at Scunthorpe is on the first floor off the Church Lane entrance to the hospital, on the corridor that leads to wards 16 and 17. They can be contacted on 03033 302109. When making your appointment, the Bereavement Officers will give you directions to the office where they will meet you.
The Bereavement Office at Grimsby is situated by the Hospital Chapel and can be accessed via the ground floor near the main lifts. They can be contacted on 03033 306110.
When you come to the office you will be met by one of the Bereavement Administration Officers who will provide you with the medical certificate which states the cause of death. This will be in an envelope addressed to the registrar. You will also be given a formal notice that states that the doctor has signed the certificate. This may be delayed if the coroner has been informed of the death.
What happens to the belongings of your loved one?
Your loved one’s belongings are safely stored on the ward where they died. You can collect the belongings from the ward or can ask to collect them from the Bereavement Office at the same time as the death certificate. Any valuables would be stored in a safe at the Cashier’s Office, which the next of kin would need to collect and sign for.
Questions about the death or treatment
You may have comments, questions or concerns about the care and treatment your loved one received. You may also want to understand more about the reasons for their death.
The staff who cared for your loved one should usually be able to answer your initial questions. However, please don’t worry if you’re not ready to ask these questions straight away, or if you think of questions later. You will have the opportunity to raise these with us when you’re ready.
It is also important for us to know if you don’t understand any of the information we provide, so please tell us if we need to explain things more fully.
Useful contacts
Bereavement Office
Grimsby: 03033 306110
Scunthorpe and Goole: 03033 302109
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Telephone: 03033 306518
Email: nlg-tr.pals@nhs.net
Trust Mortuary Services
Grimsby: 03033 304591
Scunthorpe: 01724 302230
Chaplaincy Office
Contact the hospital Switchboard on 03033 306999 and ask for the Chaplain on call.
