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Important- Patient Note

Following the recent government guidance, the Southam Surgery team want to reassure our patients that we are still fully operational & working hard to ensure the best possible care for our local community. Read More. 

In times of bereavement

  • Telephone the Practice within working hours or call 111 (Out of Hours) if the Surgery is closed
  • A Doctor will then visit to confirm the death
  •  Once the death has been verified, contact a funeral director who will come to collect the body of the deceased.
  • Arrange to collect the Medical Certificate for the Cause of Death (MCCD); this is usually from the surgery.
    • This will not be ready immediately and in some cases will require referral to the Coroner.
    • Please click on the link to get further information about this and who will issue the MCCD in these circumstances.
  •  Once you have collected the MCCD you can make an appointment with the local Registrar’s Office.
    • You will normally need to do this within 5 days of the death; these time limits do not always apply if your relative has been referred to the Coroner.
    • Please do not make an appointment with the Registrar until you have the MCCD to avoid having to rearrange your appointment.
    • On attending the appointment, you will need to bring the MCCD and the deceased’s Birth Certificate (if available)
    • If you want to register for the Government’s Tell Us Once service, you will need to bring further paperwork
  • Book an Appointment with the Registrar’s Office
    • These are located around the country; click on the link to find your local Registrar Office
    • It is usually more efficient to attend the Registrar’s Office for the area in which the death took place as the relevant paperwork will be available more readily.
    • Alternatively, you can register at any convenient Registrar’s Office but certificates will not be available immediately and will have to be posted to you a few days later.
  • The Registrar will normally issue you with a Green coloured certificate for you to give to your funeral director. The Registrar will also issue a white Death Certificate.
  • In the event of a cremation, the funeral directors will usually liaise with the surgery regarding any forms that will need to be obtained.