The death is verified
A suitably trained healthcare professional confirms that the person has died. Verification of death is separate from establishing and certifying the medical cause of death.
Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice · Abbey Wood
When someone dies at Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice
If someone close to you has died at Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice in Abbey Wood, the hospice team will guide you through the immediate steps. This guide explains the Medical Examiner process, registering the death, choosing a funeral director and the support available afterwards.
You can speak to a funeral director before you know what kind of funeral you want. If you would like to ask Poetic Endings a question or appoint us, you can contact us at any stage.
The first thing to know
You can choose a funeral director before deciding on the funeral
Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice gives practical guidance about arranging a funeral and choosing a funeral director. You are free to choose the funeral director you want, and using one is not a legal requirement.
You do not need to decide on cremation or burial, choose a coffin, find a venue or plan the ceremony before speaking to someone. The first practical step is simply deciding who you would like to help with the arrangements.
Once you have chosen a funeral director, they can liaise directly with the hospice and arrange the transfer when the hospice is ready.
The arrangements after someone dies
The hospice team will explain what happens immediately after the death and what needs to be completed before the person can leave the hospice. Your chosen funeral director can speak directly with the team and arrange the transfer at the appropriate time. You do not need to manage that process yourself.
After a death at the hospice
What happens next?
The hospice, Medical Examiner and registration service each have a different role. You can choose and speak to a funeral director while these formalities are taking place.
The medical paperwork is prepared
For someone who dies at the hospice, the hospice clinical team deals with the medical cause-of-death process. If the death needs to be referred to the coroner, the team will explain what happens next.
The Medical Examiner reviews the death
Unless the death is being investigated by the coroner, an independent Medical Examiner reviews the proposed cause of death and gives the person acting as next of kin an opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns. Community deaths in Greenwich are covered by Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust.
Your funeral director liaises with the hospice
You can choose a funeral director before registration is complete. Once appointed, the funeral director can contact the hospice directly and arrange the transfer when the hospice confirms it is ready.
The death is registered
Once the medical paperwork and Medical Examiner review are complete, Greenwich Registrars can arrange registration. The certificate for burial or cremation can then be sent electronically so the funeral can proceed.
You can continue planning the funeral
Funeral planning can happen alongside the medical and registration process. You can begin talking about the ceremony, cremation or burial, venue, coffin, transport and other choices without waiting for every administrative step to be complete.
Useful contacts
Who you may need to contact
The hospice is normally the best place to start. The Medical Examiner and Greenwich Registrar contacts are useful if you have been asked to speak to them directly.
Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice
185 Bostall Hill, Abbey Wood, London SE2 0GB.
For urgent patient support, the hospice also provides a 24-hour number: 020 8320 5837.
Medical Examiner Office
lg.medicalexaminerofficecommunitylgt@nhs.net
Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust covers community deaths in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.
Greenwich Registrars
registrar@royalgreenwich.gov.uk
Woolwich Town Hall, Wellington Street, Woolwich, London SE18 6PW.
Registration
Registering a death after someone dies at the hospice
Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice is in the Royal Borough of Greenwich, so a death at the Abbey Wood hospice is registered through Greenwich Registrars.
The Medical Examiner process takes place before registration unless the death has been referred to the coroner. Once the registrar has the necessary medical paperwork, the registration can be arranged.
After registration, the certificate authorising burial or cremation can be sent electronically to the funeral director or burial authority.
Greenwich Registrars
At the hospice
Can I spend time with the person after they have died?
Speak to the hospice team if you would like some time with the person who has died. They can explain what is possible and what practical arrangements need to take place.
If there are people who particularly want to visit or there are religious or cultural requirements around what happens after death, tell the hospice team as early as possible.
You can also arrange a private visit later once the person is in the care of your funeral director. At Poetic Endings, visits take place at our Forest Hill funeral home by appointment.
Call the hospice: 020 8312 2244
Your choice
You can choose your own funeral director
You are free to choose whichever funeral director you want. Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice itself explains that using a funeral director is not a legal requirement, although most people choose one to help with the practical arrangements and care of the person who has died.
You may want to speak to more than one funeral director, compare estimates or simply decide who you feel most comfortable dealing with. Asking for information does not commit you to using someone.
You do not need to know what kind of funeral you want before making that choice. The detailed funeral arrangements can be discussed afterwards.
Ask what the estimate includes
A funeral director should explain their own fee as well as any crematorium, cemetery, church or other third-party charges.
Ask where the person will be cared for
You can ask where the funeral director’s mortuary is, who will look after the person who has died and whether private visits can be arranged.
Ask what happens next
Once appointed, a funeral director can liaise with the hospice about the transfer and explain what can be arranged while the Medical Examiner and registration processes continue.
If you choose Poetic Endings
We can arrange the transfer from Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice
Poetic Endings is an independent funeral director based in Forest Hill. We arrange funerals throughout London, including Greenwich and Bexley.
When the hospice is ready for the transfer to take place, we can liaise directly with the team and arrange to bring the person who has died into our care at our Forest Hill funeral home.
We will then explain the options and costs, prepare a clear estimate, coordinate the practical arrangements and be there on the day.
Support after someone dies
The hospice continues to offer support after death
Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice offers emotional and practical support after someone dies, including counselling, groups, guidance and its Compassionate Neighbours service.
Bereavement support
The hospice offers one-to-one counselling, practical advice, support sessions and signposting to other services.
Explore bereavement supportTalk to the social work team
If you are unsure what support might be useful, the hospice invites people to speak to its social work team.
Call 020 8320 5811Compassionate Neighbours
If bereavement has left you feeling isolated or lonely, trained volunteers can offer regular friendship and conversation.
Call 020 8320 5812
Planning the funeral
Where could the funeral take place?
The funeral does not need to take place near the hospice. You can choose a crematorium, cemetery, church, natural burial ground or another suitable venue anywhere in London or beyond.
Eltham Crematorium
A nearby crematorium run by the Royal Borough of Greenwich, with two chapels and established cemetery grounds.
Find Eltham in our crematoria guideHonor Oak Crematorium
A South East London crematorium with an Italianate chapel and established cemetery grounds.
Explore Honor OakSomething different
A funeral ceremony can also take place in a church, natural burial ground, hall, gallery or another suitable setting.
Explore funeral venues
Practical questions
After a death at Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice
You are welcome to call us with a question even if you have not decided whether you would like Poetic Endings to arrange the funeral.
What happens when someone dies at Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice?
The hospice team manages the immediate clinical arrangements and the medical cause-of-death process. An independent Medical Examiner reviews the death unless it needs to be referred to the coroner. You can choose a funeral director while this is happening, and they can liaise with the hospice about the transfer.
Can I choose any funeral director?
Yes. You are free to choose whichever funeral director you want. You do not have to use a particular company because someone has died at the hospice.
Do I have to use a funeral director?
No. Using a funeral director is not a legal requirement. Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice itself explains this in its funeral-planning guidance. Most people choose a funeral director because they want help with the practical arrangements and care of the person who has died.
Can I choose a funeral director before the death is registered?
Yes. You can speak to and appoint a funeral director before registration is complete. Your funeral director can then liaise with the hospice and explain when the transfer can take place.
Which Medical Examiner service covers Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice?
The hospice is in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. Lewisham & Greenwich NHS Trust provides the Medical Examiner service for community deaths in Greenwich. The current community Medical Examiner number is 020 8836 4626.
Where do I register a death after someone dies at the hospice?
A death at the Abbey Wood hospice is registered through Greenwich Registrars. The current Register Office number is 020 8921 5015 and the email address is registrar@royalgreenwich.gov.uk.
Can I spend time with the person who has died?
Speak to the hospice team. They can explain what is possible and what practical arrangements need to take place. If you would like a private visit later, this can also be arranged once the person is in the care of your funeral director.
Can Poetic Endings collect someone from Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice?
Yes. When the hospice is ready for the transfer, we can liaise directly with the team and arrange to bring the person who has died into our care at our Forest Hill funeral home.
Does the hospice offer bereavement support?
Yes. Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice offers counselling, practical guidance, support groups and sessions, signposting and its Compassionate Neighbours service. Its social work team can be contacted on 020 8320 5811.
Can we call Poetic Endings outside office hours?
Yes. Our telephone line is answered 24 hours a day. Outside normal office hours, our on-call team can help with an urgent transfer where this is possible, or take a message for our funeral directors to respond to during office hours.
About this guide
Prepared by Louise Winter
Louise is the founder and a funeral director at Poetic Endings, based in Forest Hill. She has practical experience arranging funerals after deaths in London hospitals, hospices and at home. A former editor of the Good Funeral Guide, she co-founded Life. Death. Whatever. and co-wrote We All Know How This Ends, published by Bloomsbury.
Poetic Endings · Forest Hill
Would you like to talk to us?
If someone is being cared for at Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice, or has died there, you can call with a practical question, appoint Poetic Endings or start talking about the funeral. You do not need to have everything decided first.
Information checked 7 November 2026 against Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice, NHS guidance and Royal Borough of Greenwich guidance. Poetic Endings is independent of Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice. For questions about hospice care or its own arrangements, contact the hospice directly on 020 8312 2244.