If your loved one has passed away in the community (outside of a hospital) the process is slightly different. Should you wish to discuss the situation in more detail, you can call the bereavement office on 01438 284634. Alternatively, please access an electronic copy of our Community Bereavement Booklet.
If the police are in attendance they will refer the death to the Hertfordshire Coroner’s Office. The Coroner’s office will then determine how the death will be reviewed and if the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) can be issued.
If the police are not in attendance, your loved ones GP surgery will be notified of the death as they will need to make a referral to the medical examiner’s office to see if a cause of death can be determined. We would recommend that you speak to the surgery as soon as possible to make sure that the referral is completed and that your contact information as next of kin is up to date and correct. . Once the medical examiner has completed a review, it will be the responsibility of the GP that saw your loved one in life, to issue the medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD). A medical examiner officer will contact you to explain the process in full.
To help you find the correct medical examiner’s office that will be reviewing your loved one’s death, please use this link. This provides contact information for all of the medical examiner’s offices in the country.
