King’s Bereavement Service contacts you
The bereavement team normally contacts the nominated person on the next working day. They will explain the process and let you know what is happening with the medical paperwork.
King’s College Hospital · Denmark Hill
When someone dies at King’s College Hospital
If someone close to you has died at King’s in Denmark Hill, the hospital will take care of the immediate medical and administrative steps. This guide explains what happens next, who will contact you, how the death is registered and when a funeral director can bring the person into their care.
You do not need to arrange the funeral before leaving the hospital. You can contact Poetic Endings at any stage if you would like to ask a question or appoint us as the funeral director.
The first thing to know
You do not need to organise everything immediately
King’s says there is normally no need to visit its Bereavement Office after the death. A member of the bereavement team will contact the nominated person on the next working day, or you can contact the team yourself during opening hours.
The hospital will explain the medical certificate, the Medical Examiner process, registering the death and what needs to happen before the person who has died can leave the hospital mortuary.
You can start speaking to a funeral director while this is happening. You do not need to know what kind of funeral you want before making that first call.
If you are waiting to hear from King’s
King’s College Hospital Bereavement Service is near the Help Desk at the main entrance of Hambleden Wing on Bessemer Road. The team can be contacted on 020 3299 3426 or at kch-tr.kchbereavementservices@nhs.net.
After a death at King’s
What happens next?
The exact timing varies, particularly if the coroner needs to be involved. These are the usual steps after an adult dies at the Denmark Hill hospital.
The Medical Examiner reviews the death
The Medical Examiner provides an independent review of the proposed cause of death. The Medical Examiner team may contact you to explain the cause recorded on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and give you an opportunity to ask questions.
The death can be registered
If the death is not being investigated by the coroner, the medical certificate is sent to the register office. Because King’s College Hospital is in Lambeth, the death is normally registered with Lambeth Register Office.
You can choose a funeral director
You can contact funeral directors before the registration process is complete. King’s recommends choosing someone you feel comfortable with and comparing costs if you wish.
The person can leave the hospital
The person who has died cannot be collected until the paperwork permitting release has been issued. Once King’s can release them, the funeral director arranges the transfer with the hospital mortuary.
Useful King’s contacts
Who to contact at King’s College Hospital
You will not necessarily need all of these numbers. The Bereavement Service is usually the best starting point after a death.
Bereavement Service
kch-tr.kchbereavementservices@nhs.net
Open 8.30am–4.30pm, Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.
Medical Examiner Office
020 3299 8438 or 020 3299 8439
The team reviews deaths and may contact the nominated person to discuss the recorded cause of death.
King’s mortuary
Contact the mortuary if you would like to ask about a viewing appointment at the hospital.
Registration
Registering a death at King’s College Hospital
King’s College Hospital is in the London Borough of Lambeth. If the death is not being investigated by the coroner, the hospital sends the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death to the register office and the death can then be registered.
Lambeth currently offers death-registration appointments Monday to Friday. If attending Lambeth is difficult, it is possible to make a declaration at another register office in England or Wales, although this can delay the paperwork.
Register a death with Lambeth
King’s mortuary
Can I visit the person who has died at King’s?
Yes, by appointment. King’s publishes three mortuary viewing appointments each weekday between 8am and 4pm. Viewing is not available outside those hours.
If you would rather wait until the person is in the care of your funeral director, that is also an option. At Poetic Endings, private visits take place at our Forest Hill funeral home by appointment.
Call King’s mortuary: 020 3299 3504
Choosing a funeral director
You are free to choose who you want
You do not need to use a particular funeral director because the person died at King’s College Hospital.
You might want to speak to more than one funeral director, compare estimates or simply get a sense of who you would feel comfortable dealing with. Contacting someone to ask questions does not mean you have to appoint them.
It is also fine not to know what sort of funeral you want yet. A good funeral director should be able to explain the options and costs before you make those decisions.
Ask what is included
Request a clear estimate and check which fees belong to the funeral director and which are paid to the crematorium, cemetery, church or other suppliers.
Ask where the person will be cared for
You can ask where the mortuary is, whether private visits are possible and who will be looking after the person who has died.
Choose someone you can talk to
There will be practical decisions, but also choices about the funeral itself. You should feel able to ask questions and say what matters to you.
If you choose Poetic Endings
We can take care of the arrangements with King’s
Poetic Endings is an independent funeral director based in Forest Hill, a short journey from King’s College Hospital in Denmark Hill. We arrange funerals throughout London.
Once the hospital is able to release the person who has died, we liaise with the King’s mortuary and arrange to bring them into our care at our Forest Hill funeral home.
From there, we can help you plan the funeral in the way that suits you. We’ll explain the options, prepare a clear estimate, coordinate the practical arrangements and be there on the day.
Planning the funeral
Where could the funeral take place?
You can choose a crematorium, cemetery, church, natural burial ground or another suitable venue.
Crematoria in London
Explore local options including Honor Oak and West Norwood, or search our London crematoria directory.
Find a crematoriumAlternative funeral venues
A funeral ceremony does not have to take place at a crematorium. Explore galleries, halls and other venues across London.
Explore funeral venuesNatural burial
If burial in a natural setting is important to you, our directory explains the options around London and further afield.
Explore natural burial
Practical questions
After a death at King’s College Hospital
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 King’s College Hospital?
King’s Bereavement Service normally contacts the nominated person on the next working day. The hospital then deals with the medical certificate and Medical Examiner process, or explains if the death has been referred to the coroner. Once the necessary paperwork is complete, the death can be registered and the person can be released to the chosen funeral director.
How do I contact King’s College Hospital Bereavement Service?
Call 020 3299 3426 or email kch-tr.kchbereavementservices@nhs.net. The service is open 8.30am–4.30pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays.
How do I contact King’s College Hospital mortuary?
King’s College Hospital Mortuary can be contacted on 020 3299 3504 or at kch-tr.mortuary@nhs.net. The mortuary also arranges hospital viewings by appointment.
Do I need to wait for the death certificate before contacting a funeral director?
No. King’s advises that you can contact the funeral director you want to use as soon as you are ready. The person who has died cannot leave the hospital until the relevant release paperwork has been issued, but funeral arrangements can begin before then.
Where do I register a death after someone dies at King’s College Hospital?
King’s College Hospital is in Lambeth, so a death there is normally registered with Lambeth Register Office. If the coroner is investigating the death, the registration process may be different and King’s Bereavement Service will explain what happens.
What happens if the coroner is involved?
If the cause of death is unknown or the circumstances require investigation, the death may be referred to the coroner. You can still speak to a funeral director and begin discussing the funeral, but the person cannot be released and a date should not be confirmed until the coroner permits the next steps.
Can Poetic Endings collect someone from King’s College Hospital?
Yes. Once King’s is able to release the person who has died, we can liaise with the hospital mortuary and arrange to bring them into our care at our Forest Hill funeral home. Call us on 020 4525 8318 if you would like to talk through what happens.
Can I choose a funeral director outside the local area?
Yes. The funeral does not need to be arranged by a funeral director close to the hospital. Poetic Endings is based in Forest Hill and arranges funerals across London.
Poetic Endings · Forest Hill
Would you like to talk to us?
If someone has died at King’s College Hospital, you can call with a practical question, ask us to arrange the transfer into our care, or start talking about the funeral. You do not need to have everything decided first.
Hospital information checked 31 October 2026 against King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Lambeth Council guidance. Poetic Endings is independent of King’s College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. For hospital-specific medical or administrative questions, please contact King’s Bereavement Service.