Bereavement
Overview
Bereavement services at the Royal Free London during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic
We have produced a booklet which shares important information to help bereaved families, friends or next of kin make important decisions during this national emergency and explains the next steps, answers some of your questions, and guides you to the extra help and support that is available.
Please read the information documents as they jointly provide essential information:
When someone dies - a practical guide for frieds and family (Royal Free London bereavement guide)
The medical examiner service – provides information about the medical examiner service which is being rolled out across the NHS.
Information from other organisations
There are also a number of other organisations who can support you and your family through your grief, regardless of how your relative or friend died. These include:
- Bereavement services from your council at: gov.uk/find-bereavement-services-from-council
- For a step-by-step guide after a bereavement visit: gov.uk/after-a-death
- Cruse Bereavement Care has online resources on how bereavement and grief may be affected by this pandemic: cruse.org.uk/get-help/coronavirus-dealing-bereavement-and-grief. Alternatively, call their free helpline: 0808 808 1677
- For facts about the coronavirus and supporting children: cruse.org.uk/coronavirus/children-and-young-people
- The Compassionate Friends offer support to families after the death of a child of any age and from any cause: tcf.org.uk. Alternatively, call: 0345 123 2304
Bereavement services
The bereavement officers within the trust offer practical and emotional support to the families and friends of patients who died within the trust's care. We are also able, where possible, to offer practical advice to staff members who are bereaved.
To achieve this, the bereavement officers are required to work closely with doctors, nurses and midwives to ensure prompt completion of all the necessary paperwork after a death. We are also able to explain how to register a death, appoint a funeral director and how to arrange for a loved one to be repatriated overseas if necessary.
The bereavement officers are also required to work closely with the local coroners office, funeral directors and the registrars at the appropriate town hall to ensure that the bereaved have access to all the information and services they require.
We would ask family or friends to telephone the appropriate bereavement office after 10am so that we can update them on the progress of their required paperwork and guide them on the next step they will need to take in order to register the death.
Contact
Do you have an appointment?
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Barnet Hospital
Wellhouse Lane
Barnet
EN5 3DJPatient and GP enquiries: 020 8216 4401
The bereavement office at Barnet Hospital is open between 9am-4pm Monday to Friday. The service is located within the mortuary building at the back of the hospital car park.
Bereavement office telephone: 020 8216 4701
Mortuary office telephone: 020 8216 4716
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Chase Farm Hospital
The Ridgeway
Enfield
Middlesex
EN2 8JLPatient and GP enquiries: 020 8375 2570
The bereavement service at Chase Farm Hospital is open between 9am-11am Monday to Friday. Any calls made after this time will be diverted to the Barnet Hospital bereavement office. Appointments are required for attendance at the office after this time. We are located in the mortuary building on the left of the hospital ring road.
Bereavement office telephone: 020 8216 2570
Mortuary office telephone: 020 8375 1395
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Royal Free Hospital
Pond Street
London
NW3 2QGPatient and GP enquiries: 020 7830 2863/020 7794 0500 Ext 33343/38712
The bereavement office at the Royal Free Hospital is open between 9am-4pm Monday to Friday. The service is located on the lower ground floor, next to the chapel.
Bereavement office telephone: 020 7830 2863
Mortuary office telephone: 020 7794 0500 Ext 33354
Patient leaflets
Read our patient leaflets and publications
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Approved: 23/06/2022
Pregnancy loss
.pdf (359 KB)
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Approved: 24/03/2022
When someone dies – a practical guide for family and friends (RFL bereavement booklet)
.pdf (609 KB)