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The Bereavement Office

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E12

The Bereavement Office provides a service for the newly bereaved families of patients who die at RUH; the service has been in operation since August 1990.

Staff working for The Bereavement Office are responsible for the following tasks:

  • Liaison with medical staff, Coroner, Registrar of births and deaths of BANES district, funeral directors and Treasury Solicitor
  • Arranging for the medical certificate of cause of death to be issued by medical staff or arrange for death to be reported to Coroner if necessary
  • Arranging appointments to meet with the bereaved families to hand over personal belongings and the relevant documents, and guide them through the registration process and arranging a funeral
  • Arranging a hospital contract funeral for patients who have no relatives or next of kin, or whose next of kin are in exceptional financial hardship, unable to get help from the state and are completely unable to pay

The booklet 'Help for Bereaved Relatives and Friends', which was written by the Patient Affairs manager is given to relatives on the ward when someone dies and has had very positive feedback.

Bereavement Office: Information for family and friends

Bereavement services and signposting information

Shortened Booklet - Information for family and friends

Contact Details

Please contact The Bereavement Office Manager:

01225 824015 or 01225 824315
Monday - Friday 08:30 am - 4:30pm
Sometimes there will be an answer phone, please do leave a message

Alternatively, please email the department:

The department is situated in the Bath and Wessex House in Zone E12 (entrance 2) and staff will provide directions for you.

In order to prevent unnecessary journeys we do ask that you do not attend the department without a prior appointment being made by the Bereavement Office team as circumstances sometimes mean that all the necessary paperwork will not be available that day.

We value your feedback

We understand that this may be a difficult time for you, but we would very much appreciate your time in completing a short questionnaire, if you feel able to do so in the weeks or months ahead. The questions will ask you to comment on the care that you and your relative/friend received in the last days/hours of life at the hospital.

Please be assured that everything you tell us will be in confidence and your name or personal details will not be revealed. What you tell us will be used along with the comments of other people, to help in our work to improve the care that seriously ill patients and their families receive at the Royal United Hospitals Bath NHS Foundation Trust.

Taking part in this is entirely voluntary. If you feel able to give feedback, please complete this short online questionnaire:

Bereavement Feedback Questionnaire

Thank you.

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