Bereavement Advice & Guidance

The Medical Examiner Service

 

Information for friends and relatives

 

If you have been given this leaflet, you have experienced the death of someone close to you. On behalf of the Practice, we would like to extend our sincere condolences to you at this time.

 

The Medical Examiner Service is here to support you through the death of a loved one. Medical Examiners are here to answer any questions you may have about the events surrounding a death. We will try to help you understand what happened and why. We are also able to raise any concerns you may have about patient care and communication.

Who is the Medical Examiner?

 

The Medical Examiner System is a national government program, which has been established in hospitals and is now also beginning to review deaths that occur outside of the hospital, at home, in care homes, hospices and other community settings. The Medical Examiner is a Senior Doctor working within the Hospital Trust, who is independent and has not been involved in the patient’s care. Our Practice is involved with the Medical Examiners Service.

 

The service is a nationally mandated process for reviewing deaths that occur in hospital and in our Community. This is a new step in the certification of deaths which will ensure the accuracy of the cause of death and highlight any cause for concern regarding the care which has been provided.

 

How this may affect you

 

With the assistance of trained Medical Examiner Officers and in collaboration with the GP overseeing your friend or relative’s care, they aim to review all deaths to establish a cause of death prior to the issuing of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).

 

What happens next?

 

Following the death of your loved one, the Bath Medical Examiner Service will be informed by the GP who will be completing the MCCD. The On-Duty Medical Examiner will review your friend or relative’s medical records and they, or one of their Officers, will then contact you.

 

This will be a routine telephone call which will give you the opportunity to discuss the care and treatment your friend or relative has received and share any feedback you may have. The Medical Examiner Officers are able to answer any questions you may have on further practical steps you need to follow in the days to come.

 

Whilst we endeavour to review each case as soon as possible, some unavoidable delays may occur. In some cases the Medical Examiner or the responsible doctor may need to speak to the Coroner before the MCCD can be issued and you will be informed if this is the case.

 

The Medical Examiner and their staff are here to listen to your questions and concerns, provide answers if possible and, if necessary, pass them on to someone who can investigate further.

 

More information

 

We understand this is likely to be a difficult time for many people and speaking to someone is completely your choice. If you are not sure of what to expect, you can contact the Medical Examiner team on 01225 824015 or 01225 824315 and ask for more information – they are trained to help people during these difficult family times and will be very understanding.

Alternatively, you can email them on ruh-tr.medicalexamineroffice@nhs.net

National Bereavement Service

Every bereavement is different and there are different processes dependent on your circumstances.

Telephone: 0800 0246 121

Website: www.nationalbereavementservice.org

Grief after bereavement or loss

 

Most people experience grief when they lose something or someone important to them. If these feelings are affecting your life, there are things you can try that may help.

Support is also available if you're finding it hard to cope with stress, anxiety or depression.

Symptoms of bereavement, grief and loss

Bereavement, grief and loss can cause many different symptoms and they affect people in different ways. There's no right or wrong way to feel.

As well as bereavement, there are other types of loss such as the end of a relationship or losing a job or home.

Some of the most common symptoms include:

  • shock and numbness – this is usually the first reaction to loss, and people often talk about "being in a daze"
  • overwhelming sadness, with lots of crying
  • tiredness or exhaustion
  • anger – towards the person you've lost or the reason for your loss
  • guilt – for example, guilt about feeling angry, about something you said or did not say, or not being able to stop your loved one dying

These feelings may not be there all the time and powerful feelings may appear unexpectedly.

It's not always easy to recognise when bereavement, grief or loss are the reason you're acting or feeling differently

Stages of bereavement or grief

Some research suggests that there are 5 stages of bereavement or grief:

  • Denial – feelings of shock, disbelief, panic or confusion
  • Anger – feelings and behaviours such as blaming yourself or blaming others
  • Depression – feeling tired, hopeless or helpless – like you have lost perspective or feel isolated
  • Bargaining – feelings of guilt often raise questions like "If only I had done more"
  • Acceptance – this does not mean that you like the situation, it’s about accepting your loss and being ready to move forward

These are the most common stages of grief, but you may not experience them all. If you do go through these stages, they may not happen in a particular order and you may not move smoothly between them.

You might also experience other feelings as well as those mentioned.

Your grief might feel chaotic and out of control, but these feelings will eventually become less intense over time.

Read more about what grief can feel like on the Mind website

 

Things you can try to help with bereavement, grief and loss

Do

Don’t

  • do not try to do everything at once – set small targets that you can easily achieve

  • do not focus on the things you cannot change – focus your time and energy into helping yourself feel better

  • try not to tell yourself that you're alone – most people feel grief after a loss and support is available

  • try not to use alcohol, cigarettes, gambling or drugs to relieve grief – these can all contribute to poor mental health