1. Firstly, contact the emergency services. An ambulance and police will attend the scene and contact the prosecutor fiscal to report the death.

2. The PF will organise for your loved one to be removed to the local public mortuary and an investigation into the cause of death will be started. This may result in a post mortem after which, on completion of the investigation, you can continue with your funeral arrangements.

3. Your funeral director can liaise with the coroner regarding collection and further arrangements and in certain cases if the family wish to try and avoid a post mortem they can request an MRI scan. It ultimately is at the PF’s discretion and sometimes a post mortem will still be required if a cause of death is not established from the MRI scan.

4. If the cause of death has been ascertained, then family will be required to register at the local Registrar’s office. If the cause of death has not been ascertained, the coroner will provide interim paperwork to the funeral director and an inquest will be opened and adjourned. The funeral can take place but the exact cause of death might not be disclosed until after the inquest, if at all.

1. If the death is expected then the medical practitioner will provide the family with the medical death certificate for them to take to the Registrar. Once the family has registered the death, they can fax or take the original to the funeral director and collection of the decease can be arranged. Most institutions require a copy of the registration certificate in order to release a deceased person.

2. If the death was not expected, or occurs during or following an operation, it is likely that the death will be referred to the prosecutor fiscal. The PF will investigate the case and make a decision as to whether a post mortem needs to be performed and that can take place at the hospital or a the local public mortuary. The family will be informed and once concluded they can continue with their arrangements.

3. If the cause of death has been ascertained, then family will be required to register at the local Registrar’s office. If the cause of death has not been ascertained, the coroner will provide interim paperwork to the funeral director and an inquest will be opened and adjourned. The funeral can take place but the exact cause of death might not be disclosed until after the inquest, if at all.