Bereavement services
The death of someone close to you, whether expected or sudden, can be a very distressing and troubling time.
Our Bereavement teams will help, advise and support you about the processes that need to be followed following the death of a loved one.
To find out more, please expand the sections below.
Visiting your loved one
Following the death of your loved one, we endeavour to support you through the bereavement process at this sad and difficult time.
In the first instance, your request to visit your loved one should be made through arrangements with your nominated funeral director.
In exceptional circumstances, visiting can be facilitated within our mortuary departments at the discretion of the mortuary manager.
Visits can be arranged Monday to Friday by appointment only please contact the relevant site and team under the 'contact us' section.
How we can help
The death of someone close to you, whether expected or sudden, can be a very distressing and troubling time. If you are responsible for making decisions and arrangements, we can provide advice and support.
Our bereavement office will contact you after 9am the first working day following the death so that we can help you plan the process and explain the role of the Medical Examiner.
We will coordinate all of the paperwork that needs to be completed after a person's death, such as the medical certificate of cause of death, and the necessary cremation forms.
If you need to register a death of a loved one, please contact the relevant hospital bereavement team after 10am the next working day post death and they will advise you of the next steps. They will then complete all the paperwork, along with the medical examiner's team, and once done, inform you so you are able to register at an office of your choice in the Essex area.
You are welcome to bring a friend or family member to support you at this meeting.
Bereavement booklets
It can be difficult to take in all the information that you will hear from the Bereavement team or ward staff, so to support you further during this time, we have prepared a booklet that contains information about practical issues that you will need to consider during the first few days and weeks.
The booklets below explains some of the administrative and legal procedures involved and contains useful contacts in the form of a support directory.
Basildon
https://www.rns.uk/basildon-university-hospital-19203-2
Broomfield
https://www.rns.uk/broomfield-hospital-32198-2
Southend
Contact us
If you have experienced the loss of a loved one or friend, please contact the appropriate team below between 9am and 4pm, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays):
- Hospital deaths - if your loved one has passed away in one of our hospitals, please contact our Bereavement teams.
- Non-hospital deaths - if your loved one passed away elsewhere (not in our hospitals) and is being cared for after death, or has been referred to the Coroners, please speak with our Mortuary team. Please make sure that you have the Coroners’ case reference number to hand.
Basildon
Bereavement team - call 01268 394850.
Mortuary team - call 01268 394720.
Broomfield
Bereavement team - call 01245 514084, 6558, or 4820. Located in B240. Alternatively, you can email mse.Bereavement.MidEssex@nhs.net.
Mortuary team - call 01245 516828.
Southend
Bereavement team - call 01702 385494.
Mortuary team - call 01702 385216.
Coroner's office - call 03330 135000.