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.
St John’s Hospice · St John’s Wood
When someone dies at St John’s Hospice
If someone close to you has died at St John’s Hospice in St John’s Wood, the hospice team will guide you through the immediate steps. This guide explains the Medical Examiner process, registering the death in Westminster, 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
You do not need to have decided what kind of funeral you want before contacting a funeral director. You can make contact while the Medical Examiner and registration processes are taking place and talk through the funeral itself afterwards.
You are free to choose whichever funeral director you want. You may want to speak to more than one, compare written estimates or simply decide who you feel comfortable dealing with.
Once you have appointed a funeral director, they can liaise directly with St John’s and arrange the transfer when the hospice is ready.
St John’s can also help with funeral planning
The hospice’s social work and welfare team can provide practical support around funeral planning and help with finding assistance towards funeral costs. You do not need to work everything out on your own before contacting a funeral director.
After a death at St John’s
What happens next?
St John’s, the Medical Examiner and Westminster Register Office 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
The clinical team deals with the medical cause-of-death process. If the death needs to be referred to the coroner, St John’s 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 Westminster are covered by Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Your funeral director liaises with St John’s
You can choose a funeral director before the death has been registered. Once appointed, the funeral director can speak directly with St John’s and arrange the transfer when the hospice confirms it is ready.
The death is registered in Westminster
Once the Medical Examiner or coroner has completed the necessary process and Westminster Register Office has received the paperwork, an appointment can be arranged to register the death.
You can continue planning the funeral
The funeral arrangements can develop alongside the medical and registration process. You can begin talking about cremation or burial, the ceremony, venue, coffin, transport and other choices without waiting for every administrative step to be complete.
Useful contacts
Who you may need to contact
St John’s is normally the best place to start. The Imperial Medical Examiner service and Westminster Register Office are useful if you have been asked to contact them directly.
St John’s Hospice
60 Grove End Road, St John’s Wood, London NW8 9NH.
The hospice reception desk is staffed 24 hours a day.
Medical Examiner Service
imperial.medicalexaminer@nhs.net
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust provides the Medical Examiner service for community deaths in Westminster.
St Mary’s Medical Examiner Office: 020 3312 6008
Westminster Register Office
registeroffice@westminster.gov.uk
A death that takes place in Westminster is registered through Westminster Registration Service.
Registration
Registering a death after someone dies at St John’s
St John’s Hospice is in the City of Westminster, so a death there must be registered with Westminster Register Office, regardless of where the person who died normally lived.
You should register the death within five days of the Medical Examiner or coroner telling you that the necessary paperwork has been sent to Westminster.
From 9 November 2026, Westminster says death registration appointments can take place in person, by telephone or by Teams video call. You can choose the format when booking.
After registration, the certificate for burial or cremation can be sent to the funeral director or burial authority so the funeral can proceed.
Registering a death in Westminster
At the hospice
Can I spend time with the person after they have died?
If you would like some time with the person who has died, speak to the St John’s team. They can explain what is possible and what practical arrangements need to happen next.
If there are religious, cultural or personal requirements around what happens after death, let the hospice team know 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 St John’s: 020 7806 4040
Your choice
You can choose your own funeral director
You are free to choose whichever funeral director you want. You do not have to use a particular company because someone has died at St John’s Hospice.
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 also do not need to know what kind of funeral you want yet. 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 St John’s 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 St John’s Hospice
Poetic Endings is an independent funeral director based in Forest Hill. We arrange funerals throughout London, including St John’s Wood, Westminster and North West London.
When St John’s is ready for the transfer to take place, we can liaise directly with the hospice 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
St John’s support continues after death
St John’s offers bereavement counselling and support for adults, children and young people, as well as practical help from its social work and welfare team.
Adult bereavement support
St John’s offers individual and group bereavement counselling for friends and relatives of someone who was cared for by the hospice. Support can be provided face-to-face, by telephone or online.
Explore bereavement supportChildren and young people
St John’s has a dedicated Child Bereavement Specialist and offers one-to-one support, counselling and activities for children and young people, as well as guidance for parents, carers and schools.
Child bereavement: 020 7078 3840Practical and welfare support
The social work team can offer practical advice around funeral planning, help with funeral costs, benefits and other issues that may need attention after someone dies.
Social work & bereavement: 020 7806 4017
Planning the funeral
Where could the funeral take place?
The funeral does not need to take place near St John’s Hospice. You can choose a crematorium, cemetery, church, natural burial ground or another suitable venue anywhere in London or beyond.
West London Crematorium
Set within historic Kensal Green Cemetery, West London Crematorium is a nearby option with an Art Deco chapel and extensive cemetery grounds.
Explore West London CrematoriumGolders Green Crematorium
Golders Green is one of London’s best-known crematoria and another practical option from St John’s Wood.
Find Golders Green in our crematoria guideSomething different
A funeral ceremony can also take place in a church, natural burial ground, hall, gallery or another suitable setting before burial or cremation elsewhere.
Explore funeral venues
Practical questions
After a death at St John’s 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 St John’s Hospice?
St John’s 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 directly 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 St John’s Hospice.
Do I have to use a funeral director?
No. There is no legal requirement to appoint a funeral director. It is possible to arrange a funeral yourself, although most people choose a funeral director to care for the person who has died and coordinate the practical arrangements.
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 St John’s and explain what can happen while the Medical Examiner and registration processes continue.
Which Medical Examiner service covers St John’s Hospice?
St John’s Hospice is in Westminster. Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust provides the Medical Examiner service for community deaths in the City of Westminster.
Where do I register a death after someone dies at St John’s?
The death is registered with Westminster Register Office because St John’s Hospice is in Westminster. The current Register Office telephone number is 020 7641 7500.
How quickly does the death need to be registered?
Westminster says the death should be registered within five days of the Medical Examiner or coroner telling you that the necessary paperwork has been sent to the Register Office.
Can a death be registered by telephone or video call?
From 9 November 2026, Westminster says death registration appointments can take place in person, by telephone or by Teams video call. You can choose the type of appointment when booking.
What if an urgent burial is needed for religious reasons?
Westminster operates an out-of-hours service for urgent burials on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays between 9am and 11am, excluding Christmas Day. The current emergency registration number is 020 7641 1310.
Can I spend time with the person who has died?
Speak to the St John’s 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 St John’s Hospice?
Yes. When St John’s is ready for the transfer, we can liaise directly with the hospice and arrange to bring the person who has died into our care at our Forest Hill funeral home.
Does St John’s offer bereavement support?
Yes. St John’s offers adult bereavement counselling, specialist support for children and young people, and practical support through its social work and welfare team. The bereavement team can be contacted on 020 7806 4017.
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 transfers and funerals after deaths at St John’s Hospice, as well as at hospitals, hospices and homes across London. 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 St John’s 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 St John’s Hospice, NHS England and Westminster City Council guidance. Poetic Endings is independent of St John’s Hospice. For questions about hospice care or St John’s own arrangements, contact the hospice directly on 020 7806 4040.