Patients and visitors
Bereavement and Patient Service

Bereavement and Patient Service

Our Bereavement and Patient Service is here to offer care, comfort and guidance to families, friends and carers at an incredibly difficult time.

Losing someone you love can feel overwhelming, and our aim is to provide compassionate support and clear information when you need it most.

If your loved one has died in hospital, you will be given our details to contact us to support you through the next steps.

Our team is here to listen, answer questions and help you understand what happens next. Whether your loved one’s death was expected or unexpected, we will do everything we can to support you emotionally and practically in the early days of your bereavement.

Our Bereavement Nurse provides specialist support to patients and families in the last days of life, helping you feel cared for, informed and never alone. Our Bereavement Officers offer practical guidance with the formalities that follow a death, including paperwork, the issuing of death certificates, and the respectful handling of your loved one’s property and valuables.

The service is located on the ground floor of Trust Headquarters and is open Monday to Friday, 8am–4pm and can be contacted on 01204 390807. They can also be contacted outside these hours if required via Switchboard.

Medical Examiner Service

Medical Examiners work closely with our Bereavement Team. They are senior doctors who review the circumstances and cause of a death independently, helping ensure that everything is explained clearly and accurately.

They are supported by Medical Examiner Officers, who are available to talk through what happened, explain the medical information in a sensitive and understandable way, and answer any questions or concerns you may have about your loved one’s care.

They are here to give families reassurance, clarity and the opportunity to ask anything that’s on your mind.

Personal belongings and valuables

Valuables are held securely and can be collected through Bereavement Services.

If personal belongings have not already been returned, please contact the ward directly to arrange collection.

Viewing your loved one

Some families wish to spend time with their loved one following their death.

Appointments to visit the mortuary viewing room can be arranged through the Mortuary Team.

The viewing room is intended primarily for immediate family members. Other relatives and friends may prefer to visit at the funeral director’s chapel of rest.

Mortuary Team: 01204 390690

Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm.

Outside these hours, please contact the hospital switchboard on 01204 390390.

When would the coroner be involved?

Some deaths must be referred to the coroner.

This may happen when:

The death was sudden or unexpected.
The cause of death is unclear.
The death may have resulted from an accident or unusual circumstances.

The coroner is independent of the hospital and will determine whether further investigation is required.

In some cases, a post-mortem examination may be needed to establish the cause of death.

The Coroner’s Office will explain the process and advise you on what happens next.

Registering the death

Once you have been informed that the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death has been completed, the death should normally be registered within five days.

In some circumstances, such as when the coroner is involved, this may take longer.

Appointments must be made with the local Registry Office.

Bolton Registry Office

Telephone: 01204 331185

Monday-Friday 9am-4pm

Saturday and Sunday by special arrangement.

Information you may need

When registering the death, you may be asked for:

The person’s full name.
Any previous names or maiden name.
Date and place of birth.
Occupation.
Home address.
Details of a surviving spouse or civil partner.
NHS number, if known.
Information about any state pension or benefits.

The registrar will explain the process and provide the certificates and documentation required.

Tell Us Once

After registering the death, you can use Bolton Council’s Tell Us Once service.

Unfortunately, when someone dies there’s lots to do at a time when you least feel like doing anything. Various government departments and council services need to be informed of the death and that’s where the council can help ease the pressure. The service can notify organisations including:

Department for Work and Pensions
Ministry of Defence, Service Personnel and Veterans Agency
HM Revenue and Customs
Identity and Passport Service
Local Councils
Housing Benefit
Council Tax (this does not include Bolton at home)
Council Housing
Libraries
Blue Badges
Adult Services
Children’s Services
Collection for payment for council services
Electoral Services

Once you have registered the death the registrar will give you a reference number which you will need to give to the ‘Tell us once Service’ to enable them to access the information from the registration.

Arranging a funeral

It is advisable to contact a funeral director of your choice as soon as possible to discuss arrangements for the funeral. You do not have to postpone this if there is to be a postmortem, as this should not delay the funeral except in exceptional circumstances.

You can find details of local funeral directors online, or via the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD). We cannot endorse or recommend any individual provider.

Tissue donation

Tissue donation can help improve and save lives.

Following your loved one’s death, NHS Blood and Transplant may contact you to discuss the possibility of donation.

If you would like further information, please contact:

0800 432 0559

They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Our Chaplaincy Team

The Chaplaincy Team provides pastoral, spiritual and religious support for people of all faiths and none.

Support is available before, during and after bereavement, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The team can also provide ongoing support following a death.

Telephone: 01204 390770

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have concerns, questions or feedback about the care provided, PALS is available to help.

The service offers confidential advice and support and can help resolve concerns informally.

Telephone: 01204 390193

Email: pals@boltonft.nhs.uk

Our organisation reviews all hospital deaths to help us understand the care provided and identify any opportunities for learning and improvement. These reviews are carried out using a standard process overseen by the Medical Director.

In some circumstances, we may contact you to discuss this review and to better understand your experience.

If you have any questions or concerns about the care your loved one received or would like these to be considered as part of the review process, please contact the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) using the contact details provided above.

Other practical matters

You may need to notify:

Banks and building societies
Insurance providers
Utility companies
Council Tax
Pension providers
Housing providers
Membership organisations
Subscription services

The Tell Us Once service can help with some notifications, but other organisations may need to be contacted separately.

Returning equipment and supplies

Continence products

Unused, unopened continence products can be returned through the NHS Home Delivery Service.

Telephone: 0800 030 4466

Community equipment

Equipment supplied for use at home can be returned to the Community Equipment Store.

Telephone: 01204 337060 or 01204 337066

Financial support

Following a bereavement, you may be entitled to financial support or benefits.

For advice, contact:

DWP Bereavement Service
0800 151 2012

Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm.

Talking to children about death

Adults often feel the need to protect children from the reality of death. They may feel children will not understand or that they will be too upset. However, we can often underestimate a child’s resilience and ability to cope.

Children often find it hard to cope if they are not told what is happening, because they will often make up a story about what has happened and this could be more frightening than the truth.

When talking to children about death it is helpful to find time as soon as possible after the death. Give the child the facts in a simple manner, use appropriate words such as dead and death rather than lost or sleeping, and give the child permission to ask questions.

It is helpful for adults to share feelings and emotions of sadness and upset with children. By doing this, children will learn that it is normal to cry when someone dies, and they will know that it is ok for them to cry too.

For more support or advice contact;

Bereavement Nurse
01204 390448

Winston’s Wish
08088 020 021

www.winstonswish.org

Other useful support organisations

A selection of organisations and groups can be found below:

Your GP
Your own religious leader (Our chaplaincy team can also give support)
Cruse Bereavement Care

Monday-Friday, 9.30am – 5.00pm

Tel: 0808 808 1677

www.crusebereavementcare.org.uk

The Samaritans

16 Bark Street East Bolton BL1 2BQ

0330 0945717

www.samaritans.org

1 Point

Silverwell House, Silverwell Lane, Bolton, BL1 1QN

www.1pointbolton.org.uk

Tel: 01204 917745

Email: office@1pointbolton.org.uk

At A Loss ataloss.org
Deaf Society for Bolton Bark Street Bolton BL1 2AX

Tel: 01204 521219

Tuesday and Thursday 9.00am – 1.00pm

Citizens Advice Bureau 26-28 Mawdsley Street Bolton BL1 1LF

Tel: 0800 144 8848

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Manchester District Probate Registry

Ground Floor Manchester CJC Bridge Street West PO Box 4240 Manchester M60 1WJ

Tel: 0161 240 5701 / 5702 Helpline: 0300 123 1072

Opening Hours 9.30am – 4.00pm, Monday to Friday

Bolton Council – search Bereavement Services to find local and national support

Creating a tribute or donating in memory

Many families tell us they would like to remember their loved one in a meaningful way. Some choose to create an online tribute page, share memories with family and friends, or donate in their memory.

MuchLoved

MuchLoved is a free online tribute service that allows you to create a personalised page in memory of someone special.

A tribute page can be used to:

Share memories, photographs and messages
Celebrate and remember a loved one’s life
Light virtual candles and leave dedications
Invite family and friends to contribute memories
Collect donations for Our Bolton NHS Charity or another charity of your choosing

Our Bolton NHS Charity

Our Bolton NHS Charity is the official charity of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, which delivers vital health and care services across our community and at Royal Bolton Hospital. Our incredible teams provide expert medical, nursing, and therapeutic care to adults, children, and families every single day.

We fund projects that go above and beyond what the NHS can provide, creating better experiences, improving environments, supporting staff wellbeing, and investing in life‑changing equipment.

By supporting Our Bolton NHS Charity in memory of a loved one, you can help future patients and families benefit from the very best care and support.

Whether through a donation, fundraising activity or tribute page, together, we can make a difference.

To find out more, visit Our Bolton NHS Charity pages.