King’s College Hospital
Bereavement Service, King’s mortuary, Medical Examiner, registering the death in Lambeth and choosing a funeral director.
When someone dies at King’s
Practical guides for London
When someone dies in a London hospital or hospice
Every hospital and hospice has its own bereavement process. These guides explain what happens after a death at some of the London hospitals and hospices we work with, including who to contact, registration, the Medical Examiner process and when a funeral director can become involved.
If you are dealing with a death now, you do not need to have decided what kind of funeral you want before asking questions or choosing a funeral director.
Finding the right information
The details depend on where the person died
Hospitals and hospices do not all work in exactly the same way. Bereavement offices have different opening hours, Medical Examiner services are organised differently across London, and the death must be registered in the borough where it occurred.
Some institutions publish mortuary viewing arrangements and direct contact details; others ask you to speak to their bereavement team first. Hospices can work differently again, particularly around the timing of transfer into a funeral director’s care. Our individual guides bring that information together in one place and link back to the official NHS, hospice and council guidance.
We also explain when you can choose a funeral director and what happens when the person who has died is ready to leave the hospital or hospice.
If the hospital or hospice is not listed below
Our general guide explains the usual process after a death in hospital or hospice. You can also call us on 020 4525 8318 and we can help you understand what to do next.
South East London
Hospital guides
Practical information for hospitals in Denmark Hill, Lewisham, Woolwich and Orpington, including their bereavement contacts and local registration process.
University Hospital Lewisham
What happens after a death at Lewisham Hospital, Medical Examiner arrangements, registration in Lewisham and hospital viewing information.
When someone dies at Lewisham HospitalQueen Elizabeth Hospital
Current hospital contacts, Medical Examiner information, registering the death in Greenwich and what happens before the person can leave hospital care.
When someone dies at Queen Elizabeth HospitalPrincess Royal University Hospital (PRUH)
PRUH Bereavement Service and mortuary, Medical Examiner, Bromley registration and viewing arrangements.
When someone dies at PRUH
Central & East London
Hospital guides
Guides for Guy’s and St Thomas’ in central London and The Royal London Hospital in Whitechapel.
Guy’s Hospital
Guy’s Bereavement Centre and mortuary, Medical Examiner, registering the death in Southwark and current viewing arrangements.
When someone dies at Guy’s HospitalSt Thomas’ Hospital
St Thomas’ Bereavement Centre, mortuary, Medical Examiner, Lambeth registration and practical information after a death.
When someone dies at St Thomas’ HospitalThe Royal London Hospital
Barts Health bereavement contacts, Medical Examiner, Tower Hamlets registration, urgent burial arrangements and choosing a funeral director.
When someone dies at The Royal London
South & South West London
Hospital guides
Practical guidance for Croydon University Hospital and St George’s Hospital in Tooting.
Croydon University Hospital
Bereavement Service, mortuary viewing, Medical Examiner, Croydon registration and urgent religious burial arrangements.
When someone dies at Croydon University HospitalSt George’s Hospital
Bereavement Services, Medical Examiner, Wandsworth registration, hospital viewing information and choosing a funeral director.
When someone dies at St George’s Hospital
Hospices
Hospice guides
Hospice care has its own practical rhythms after a death. Our hospice guides explain what happens at the hospice, how the transfer into a funeral director’s care works, registration and Medical Examiner arrangements, and support that may remain available afterwards.
Royal Trinity Hospice
What happens immediately after a death at Trinity, registration in Lambeth, choosing a funeral director, belongings, faith needs and Trinity’s continuing bereavement support.
When someone dies at Royal Trinity HospiceSt Christopher’s Hospice
What happens after a death on the inpatient ward, why St Christopher’s may ask you to name a funeral director in advance, transfer from the hospice, Bromley registration and bereavement support.
When someone dies at St Christopher’s Hospice
Not sure where to begin?
Start with our general guide
Our guide to what to do when someone dies covers deaths at home, in a care home, hospital or hospice, as well as Medical Examiner, coroner and registration processes.
Poetic Endings · Forest Hill
Would you like to ask us a question?
If someone has died in a hospital or hospice, you can contact us with a practical question or ask us to arrange for the person who has died to come into our care when they are ready to be released.
These guides are practical summaries, not information published on behalf of the hospitals or hospices listed. Each institution remains the best source for questions about its own medical, bereavement or administrative procedures. Individual guides include the date their practical information was last checked.