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Written by Betty Gardiner.
14 minute read
Article reviewed by Emily Cross, Self-Employed Death Doula on November 26, 2025.
When someone dies in hospital, it’s natural for families to feel overwhelmed, especially amid the practical steps that follow. Knowing what to expect can bring comfort and reassurance, allowing you to focus on remembering your loved one. We’re here to walk you through what to do when someone passes away, from the official confirmation of death to arrangements for personal belongings and the transition to funeral care. We hope this article can offer clarity during this difficult time.
This guide covers what happens when someone dies in a hospital in the United Kingdom, including England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. If your loved one has died in a hospital outside the UK, the process may differ significantly from what is described here.
Key takeaways:
When someone is nearing the end of their life in hospital, care is usually focused on comfort, dignity, and support. Most hospitals have specialist palliative care teams who help manage pain and make sure the person is as comfortable as possible.
Families can often spend time with their loved one during this period. It can help to speak with the ward nurse about visiting arrangements, as policies may vary. Hospital staff will also keep you informed about any changes in the person’s condition, so you feel supported and aware of what is happening.
If end-of-life care is ongoing, the team may talk with you about a Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (DNACPR) decision. You can find further guidance on this and other aspects of care on the NHS end-of-life care page.
Several key steps are taken once a person dies in a hospital. These processes help ensure the person is cared for with dignity and that everything is handled properly.
First of all, the medical examiner will need to confirm the person’s death. NHS hospitals in the UK follow a standardised process after a patient’s death, which includes confirming the death, notifying the next of kin, and beginning the death certification paperwork. This official medical confirmation is an important step and involves checking vital signs and preparing a medical certificate of death, which records the cause of death if it is known.
Since September 2024, before the medical certificate of death is sent to the registrar, it must be reviewed by an independent Medical Examiner, a senior doctor who checks the cause of death is accurate and may contact the family to discuss it or answer questions. Once the Medical Examiner is satisfied, they send the certificate electronically to the local registrar. The family is then told that they can book an appointment to register the death, at which point the 5-day registration period begins. These death registration changes were introduced to provide greater clarity and reassurance for families during this process.
Another key step is to notify the next of kin or emergency contact. If the death was expected, the people close to the person who has died may already be present. If not, the hospital team will contact family members directly and with care.
When a loved one passes away in the hospital, the staff take on important responsibilities to ensure respectful care and provide guidance to families during this sensitive time.
The hospital’s primary role after a person’s death is to handle the certification and initial care of the person who has died. They will verify the person’s identity and cause of death and possibly transfer the person from a care setting into a mortuary. Some hospital staff may even help with the personal care of the body such as repositioning their head, tidying their appearance and cleaning the room they are in.
While in the hospital’s care, the medical team will ensure that the person who has passed is treated with respect and prepared appropriately. During this time, families can reach out to the hospital’s bereavement office or Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) for support, advice, and guidance on the steps to follow. If family members have questions about their loved one’s care or concerns about the process, bereavement officers are there to offer help and make sure they feel informed and reassured.
The person who has passed will be respectfully transferred to the hospital mortuary, where they remain until arrangements can be made with a funeral provider to collect them. The hospital mortuary can usually hold the person who has died for several days while funeral arrangements are made, typically between 3 and 7 days, although this can vary by hospital. If more time is needed, most hospitals will try to accommodate this where possible. Once you have chosen a funeral director, they will liaise with the hospital mortuary to arrange collection at a suitable time.
The mortuary provides a secure, temporary resting place for the person, and families are sometimes able to arrange a visit if they would like to see their loved one. Hospital staff can help organise a private and peaceful viewing, giving family members the chance to say goodbye in a respectful setting. Please note, that this may not always be possible to accommodate.
When the time comes to release the body to a funeral provider, the hospital will ensure this process is handled smoothly. The bereavement office can assist in coordinating these arrangements, including preparing any necessary paperwork for the mortuary team. If you have chosen a funeral provider, simply provide their details to the bereavement office, which will handle the formalities so your loved one can be transferred with care.
We often enter a hospital with some of our personal belongings such as clothing, a phone or jewellery. These may stay on the person when they pass or be in their assigned bed or drawers. As family members handle logistical and practical matters alongside their grief, these items are sometimes left behind in the hospital.
If this is the case, personal belongings go into the care of the hospital’s patient affairs or bereavement office and be securely kept until the next of kin or an authorised person can collect them. This approach ensures that each belonging is accurately noted down and is accessible when the family has the time to retrieve them. Please check with your hospital as they may have a different system.
Once a family member or another authorised person is ready, they can arrange to pick up personal belongings from the hospital. The bereavement team will inform the family of collection times and any specific steps. You may want to call the team at the hospital beforehand to ensure they are open and prepared for your visit ahead of time. You can typically find opening times and a phone number on the hospital’s website.
To ensure security, the family member or their authorised representative will likely need to present identification and sign an acknowledgement form. This step helps the hospital confirm the items are returned to the correct person, adding a layer of protection and providing families with a transparent and respectful process for receiving their loved one’s belongings.
In some cases, the hospital staff may not be able to determine the exact cause of death. When this occurs, the case is referred to a coroner for further investigation.
If the cause of death is uncertain or unexpected, the hospital must refer the death to the coroner (or procurator fiscal in Scotland). The coroner will examine the case to determine the cause of death, potentially ordering a post-mortem examination to gather more information. In some instances, an inquest may also be conducted to address additional questions surrounding the death.
While this process can be distressing, the coroner’s role is to provide clarity and an accurate conclusion. Families are kept informed and may be invited to give statements or attend the inquest. This investigation helps provide peace of mind, ensuring that an unexpected death is fully understood.
When a death is referred to the coroner, this may cause delays in the MCCD being issued, affecting the timeline for registering the death. Although it is hard to say exactly how long it will take to arrange a funeral when the coroner is involved, you can organise some details as you wait such as which funeral provider to go with and the kind of funeral you want. Sometimes, the coroner may issue an interim certificate to allow certain legal steps to proceed while the final certificate is pending.
While the coroner’s office aims to complete investigations as efficiently as possible, post-mortems or inquests can take time, which may delay the funeral planning process. You may still be able to contact funeral providers and establish some plans while you wait. Reach out to the registrar’s office and the bereavement office at the hospital to ensure everyone is up to date and aware of the situation.
Understanding organ donation in the UK is a meaningful way to give life after death, guided by clear laws, personal choice, and a growing sense of social responsibility.
When someone passes away, donating their organs or tissues can be a powerful act of generousity, providing the possibility of helping others in need. Whether they carried a donor card, were on the Organ Donor Register, or expressed their wishes during their life, the hospital can assist in honouring their wishes. You may choose to consider tissue donation at this time if there is no record of their organ donation, but this is entirely voluntary.
The NHS Organ Donor Register typically coordinates this by reaching out to the family to explain options and answer any questions. They will also work with the hospital team if necessary. Rest assured, this process is handled with the utmost care and respect for your family and the person who has died.
The hospital’s first priority after a death is to notify the next of kin or an emergency contact. This is typically listed in the hospital records and is usually done sensitively to ensure that the news is delivered with the care it deserves.
The hospital may also inform the family’s chosen funeral director if one has already been selected. This communication allows the family to begin making funeral arrangements and plan the collection of the body from the hospital.
Support is available if you need it, both from the hospital and from specialist organisations. Most hospitals have a dedicated Bereavement Office or bereavement nurse, and you can ask ward staff to put you in touch. You may also find it helpful to speak with charities such as Cruse Bereavement Support, Marie Curie, or explore guidance from the NHS bereavement support page.
A funeral director plays a crucial role in helping families navigate funeral plans and other key steps after a loved one’s passing. At Aura, every family that turns to us gets individual support from our dedicated team of funeral experts known as the Aura Angels. They are here to assist with paperwork, and organising the details of a funeral and can even offer emotional support.
Once the death certificate and the form for cremation are both ready, we can step in to coordinate the transfer of your loved one from the hospital mortuary into our care. We will take them to our state-of-the-art care centres where we perform regular identity checks and prepare your loved one for their cremation.
Aura offers direct cremation services which are an affordable alternative to traditional funerals. They are usually unattended cremations as this can help reduce how much a funeral costs and allow loved ones the time to grieve, giving families the opportunity to arrange a separate memorial service at a time that suits them.
We can also offer attended options to allow families the chance to gather for a more private and intimate service. If you have any questions about what we offer at Aura or would like to talk to one of our Angels about any of the steps involved in this article, please do not hesitate to get in touch.
The hospital will contact the next of kin as quickly as possible after a death has been confirmed. If you are named as the next of kin in the patient’s records, hospital staff will call you directly.
If no next of kin is available or can be reached, the hospital’s Bereavement Office will work to identify and contact a responsible person. It is important to make sure the hospital has up-to-date contact details during any admission.
Hospital staff will attempt to contact the next of kin immediately after a death has been confirmed, typically within minutes. If the death is expected and family members are already present, a doctor or nurse will speak with them directly.
If the death happens unexpectedly or overnight, a ward nurse or member of the bereavement team will call the next of kin as soon as possible, regardless of the time.
Hospitals can usually care for the person who has died in the mortuary for several days, often between 3 and 7 days, while arrangements are being made. This can vary depending on the hospital and individual circumstances.
If you need more time, it is often possible to request this. Once a funeral director has been chosen, they will work with the hospital to arrange collection.
No, hospitals do not carry out cremations or burials. The hospital mortuary cares for the person who has died for a short time while arrangements are made. The family or next of kin chooses a funeral director, who will collect them and arrange the cremation or burial.