At Oldham Medical Services we believe that all bereaved people are entitled to services that responds to, and respects their basic needs at such difficult times.

Your GP undertakes to:

- Ensure prompt completion of all death administrative paperwork

- Fully explain the details written on the death certificate to the next of kin.

We will write to you enclosing a copy of our bereavement information  leaflet which is also downloadable below. We will offer some useful practical information as well as some advice which may be helpful in the months after you have lost a close relative or friend. 

If Death Occurs At Home

1. Telephone the doctor who will visit to confirm that death has taken place.

2. Contact a funeral director. 

3. Arrange to collect the doctor's medical certificate of death (usually from the surgery)

4. Take the medical certificate to the registrars office (together with the deceased medical card and birth certificate, if available) for the area in which the death took place. Alternatively, you can register by declaration at any convenient registrars office but certificates will not be available as these will have to be posted a few days later.

5. The registrars will normally issue a green colored certificate for you to give to your funeral director who will look after necessary arrangements for the funeral. The registrar will also issue a white notification certificate for the DSS. They will also enquire as to the number of ceritified copies required for dealing with the deceased finances (a fee is payable for each copy)

If The Death occurs In Hospital

1. Contact a funeral director to inform him his services are required.

2. Collect the ceritificate from the hospital and follow steps 4-5 as above. 

Notes For Cremation

Your funeral director will usually liaise directly with the surgery regarding the additional certification required. 

Bereavement Information Leaflet (this link will open in a new window - popups must be allowed)