Contact the Bereavement Office
Call the Royal London Bereavement Office on the next working day. The team will explain the hospital process and what needs to happen before the death can be registered.
The Royal London Hospital · Whitechapel
When someone dies at The Royal London Hospital
If someone close to you has died at The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel, the hospital’s Bereavement Office will guide you through the first administrative steps. This page explains who to contact, how the Medical Examiner process works, where the death is registered and when a funeral director can bring the person into their care.
You do not need to know what kind of funeral you want before speaking to a funeral director. You can contact Poetic Endings at any stage if you would like to ask a question or appoint us.
The first thing to know
Call the Bereavement Office on the next working day
Barts Health asks people to telephone the relevant hospital Bereavement Office on the next working day after a death. The team will explain what needs to happen and advises people not to come into the hospital without speaking to them first.
An independent Medical Examiner reviews the proposed cause of death before the medical paperwork is sent for registration, unless the death needs to be investigated by the coroner.
You can begin speaking to a funeral director while this is taking place. You do not need to wait until the death has been registered or decide exactly what kind of funeral you want before making contact.
The Royal London Hospital Bereavement Office
Call 020 3594 1050 or 020 3594 2030, Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. If the team cannot answer, Barts Health asks you to leave a voicemail and they will call you back.
After a death at The Royal London
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 Royal London Hospital.
The Medical Examiner reviews the death
An independent Medical Examiner reviews the proposed cause of death. The Barts Health Medical Examiner service covers deaths at The Royal London and may contact the nominated person to discuss the cause of death and any questions or concerns.
The paperwork is sent to Tower Hamlets
If the death is not being investigated by the coroner, the Medical Examiner Office signs and sends the necessary documentation to Tower Hamlets Register Office.
You can choose a funeral director
You can contact funeral directors while the hospital and registration process is taking place. You can ask questions, compare estimates and decide who you would like to look after the person who has died and arrange the funeral.
The person can leave the hospital
Once the necessary paperwork is complete and The Royal London is able to release the person who has died, the chosen funeral director arranges the transfer with the hospital.
Useful contacts
Who to contact after a death at The Royal London Hospital
The Bereavement Office is normally the best starting point. Barts Health and Tower Hamlets also publish current Medical Examiner and registration contacts.
Bereavement Office
020 3594 1050 or 020 3594 2030
Open Monday to Friday, 10am–4pm.
Barts Health asks you to telephone rather than arriving at the hospital without speaking to the team first.
Medical Examiner Office
bartshealth.bhtmedicalexaminerservice@nhs.net
The Barts Health Medical Examiner service covers deaths at The Royal London Hospital and other Barts Health sites.
Hospital switchboard
Use the switchboard if you need another Royal London service or urgent chaplaincy support.
The hospital is on Whitechapel Road, London E1 1FR.
Registration
Registering a death at The Royal London Hospital
The Royal London Hospital is in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, so a death there is normally registered with Tower Hamlets Register Office.
Tower Hamlets says you should make sure the Medical Examiner Office has signed and sent the required documentation before booking. Deaths should be registered as soon as possible and preferably within five days unless the coroner is investigating.
The register office currently issues the green form in person at the appointment for you to give to the funeral director if you know who you are using. Tower Hamlets says it does not currently send this form electronically.
Register a death in Tower Hamlets
Hospital viewing
Can I visit the person who has died at The Royal London?
Barts Health offers viewing arrangements after a death, but The Royal London does not currently publish a public mortuary telephone number or viewing timetable on its website.
Contact the Bereavement Office on 020 3594 1050 or 020 3594 2030 and ask about the current arrangements before travelling to the hospital.
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 the Bereavement Office: 020 3594 1050
Choosing a funeral director
You can choose whichever funeral director you want
You do not need to use a particular funeral director because the person died at The Royal London Hospital.
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.
It is also fine not to know what kind of funeral you want yet. You can deal with the practical transfer into a funeral director’s care first and make the other choices in your own time.
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 mortuary is, who will be looking after the person who has died and whether private visits can be arranged.
Choose someone you can speak openly with
You should feel able to ask practical questions, discuss costs and talk about what you would like the funeral to be.
If you choose Poetic Endings
We can arrange the transfer from The Royal London Hospital
Poetic Endings is an independent funeral director based in Forest Hill. We arrange funerals throughout London, including for people who have died at The Royal London Hospital.
Once the hospital is able to release the person who has died, we liaise with the appropriate hospital team and arrange to bring them into our care at our Forest Hill funeral home.
We can then explain the funeral options and costs, prepare a clear estimate, coordinate the arrangements and be there on the day.
Planning the funeral
Where could the funeral take place?
There are cremation and burial options across East London and the rest of the city, as well as churches, natural burial grounds and other venues.
East London crematoria
Explore crematoria serving East London and compare the different chapels, locations and practical arrangements.
Explore East London crematoriaCrematoria across London
If location is flexible, our London directory brings together crematoria across the city so you can compare the options.
Search London crematoriaAlternative funeral venues
A funeral ceremony can also take place in a church, hall, gallery or another suitable setting before a burial or cremation.
Explore funeral venues
Practical questions
After a death at The Royal London 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 The Royal London Hospital?
Barts Health asks you to call the Royal London Bereavement Office on the next working day. The hospital and Medical Examiner service deal with the medical certification process, unless the death needs to be 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 The Royal London Hospital Bereavement Office?
Call 020 3594 1050 or 020 3594 2030. Barts Health currently lists the office as open Monday to Friday from 10am to 4pm. If there is no answer, leave a voicemail rather than travelling to the hospital without an appointment.
How do I contact the Medical Examiner for The Royal London Hospital?
NHS England lists the Barts Health Medical Examiner service on 020 3465 6470. The hospital-deaths email address is bartshealth.bhtmedicalexaminerservice@nhs.net.
Where do I register a death after someone dies at The Royal London Hospital?
The death is normally registered with Tower Hamlets Register Office because The Royal London is in Whitechapel. Tower Hamlets advises checking that the Medical Examiner Office has sent the required documents before booking.
Do I need to wait until the death is registered before speaking to a funeral director?
No. You can contact funeral directors and begin talking about the funeral while the hospital and Medical Examiner process is taking place. The person who has died will remain in the hospital’s care until the necessary release arrangements are complete.
Can I visit the person who has died at The Royal London Hospital?
Yes, viewing can be discussed with the Bereavement Office. The hospital does not currently publish a public Royal London mortuary number or viewing timetable online, so call 020 3594 1050 or 020 3594 2030 before travelling.
What happens if the coroner is involved?
If the cause of death is uncertain or the circumstances require investigation, the death may be referred to the coroner. Registration and release then follow the coroner’s process. You can still speak to a funeral director while the investigation is taking place.
What if a burial needs to happen quickly for religious reasons?
Tower Hamlets operates an urgent burial certificate service between 9am and 1pm on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. The current out-of-hours number is 07977 266 706. The register office must already have received the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death from the Medical Examiner Office before it can issue the burial notice.
Is spiritual or pastoral support available at The Royal London?
Yes. Barts Health chaplains support people of all faiths and beliefs and provide a 24-hour on-call service. The Royal London has Christian, Muslim and Jewish prayer spaces on the second floor. For urgent chaplaincy support, ask hospital staff or call the switchboard on 020 7377 7000.
Can Poetic Endings collect someone from The Royal London Hospital?
Yes. Once The Royal London is able to release the person who has died, we can liaise with the hospital and arrange to bring them into our care at our Forest Hill funeral home.
Poetic Endings · Forest Hill
Would you like to talk to us?
If someone has died at The Royal London 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 Barts Health NHS Trust, NHS England and Tower Hamlets Council guidance. Poetic Endings is independent of Barts Health NHS Trust. For hospital-specific medical or administrative questions, contact the Barts Health Bereavement Service.