At Home
1.Contact Doctor
The Doctor should call to confirm the death. They will advise if they can issue a death certificate. If they are unable to issue one they will either refer the death to the coroner, should it be unexpected, or refer it to the deceased’s own GP who know their history and may be able to issue the certificate.
2.Coroner
If the death is referred to the coroner a police officer will attend. They will call out their own duty funeral director to remove the deceased to a hospital where a post-mortem will be held to confirm the medical cause of death.
After which you can contact a funeral director of your choice to carry out the funeral service. (It is recommended that you use a funeral director associated with one of the national organisations, i.e. NAFD, SAIF or FSC).
3.Contact a Funeral Director
They will arrange for the deceased to be collected and taken to their chapel of rest and advise on procedures involved in arranging the funeral service.
In Hospital
Staff at the hospital will advise you of their own procedures as these differ from hospital to hospital.
All deaths have to be registered at a registrars
You will need to take along the medical death certificate issued by the Doctor. Should the death involve the coroner they will issue a certificate, which will replace the Doctors Certificate.
