What to do
* Call the deceased's Doctor, once the doctor has identified the deceased and is satisfied as to the cause of death a Cause of Death Certificate will be prepared. If the Doctor has not attended the deceased in the past three months or the Doctor is uncertain as to the exact cause of death the Certification becomes a Coroner's matter.
* After calling the Doctor, call your family or a close friend for support and help in this difficult period when pressure may be placed on you to make a number of decisions.
* While waiting for the Doctor also decide on a Funeral Director and make initial contact regarding the funerals and services that they provide.
* When the Cause of Death Certificate is issued the Funeral Director may transport the deceased from the home to the Funeral Directors mortuary..
At Home
* Call the deceased's Doctor, once the doctor has identified the deceased and is satisfied as to the cause of death a Cause of Death Certificate will be prepared. If the Doctor has not attended the deceased in the past three months or the Doctor is uncertain as to the exact cause of death the Certification becomes a Coroner's matter.
* After calling the Doctor, call your family or a close friend for support and help in this difficult period when pressure may be placed on you to make a number of decisions.
* While waiting for the Doctor also decide on a Funeral Director and make initial contact.
* When the Cause of Death Certificate is issued the Funeral Director may transport the deceased from the home to the Funeral Directors mortuary.
* You will have to decide whether a burial or cremation is required. If you decide on cremation a Doctor will be required to issue a Attending Practitioner's Certificate. Your Funeral Director will also assist you in completing two other forms:
o Registration of Death as required by Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages and
o If required a Application for Cremation .
* With the support of family or a friend a number of decisions have to be made, your Funeral Director will usually guide you through them:
o Newspaper notices
o Style of casket
o Where and when service to take place
o Burial or Cremation arrangements
o Clergy or Celebrant
o Floral tributes or Charity donation
o Transport arrangements
At Hospital
* After the medical staff at the hospital have satisfied the legal requirements regarding the cause of death and identity of the deceased a medical certificate, Cause of Death Certificate will be given to you.
* If possible with the support of family or a close friend select a Funeral Director and ask that the deceased be transported to Funeral Director's mortuary.
* You will have to decide whether a burial or cremation is required. If you decide on cremation a Doctor will be required to issue a Attending Practitioner's Certificate. Your Funeral Director will also assist you in completing two other forms:
o Registration of Death as required by Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages and
o If required a Application for Cremation .
* With the support of family or a friend a number of decisions have to be made, your Funeral Director will usually guide you through them:
o Newspaper notices
o Style of casket
o Where and when service to take place
o Burial or Cremation arrangements
o Clergy or Celebrant
o Floral Tribute or Charity donation
o Transport arrangements
Accidental or Sudden Unexplained Death
* Call the Police, normally they will arrange a government contracted Funeral Director to take the deceased to a placed where an official examination will take place. Normally the Police will refer the matter to the Coroner, who will prepare a report that will include a Certificate of Death and a Burial Order or a Cremation Permit . The Coroner report may take a few days even when the matter is relatively straight forward.
* With support of family or a close friend you should select a Funeral Director who would be able to inform you what is happening in your particular circumstances. The Funeral Director will usually help and guide you through other matters that will require decisions:
o Liaise with the Coroner's office on your behalf
o Transport the deceased to the Funeral Director's mortuary
o Newspaper notices
o Style of casket
o Where and when service to take place
o Burial or Cremation arrangements
o Clergy or Celebrant
o Floral tributes or Charity donation
o Transport arrangements
In a Distant Place or Country
* With support of family or a close friend you should select a local Funeral Director who should be able to advise you on the most cost effective way to handle the matter.
A Death Must Be Reported to a Coroner when :
* A person has died suddenly and the cause is unknown
* A person has died a violent or unnatural death
* A medical practitioner has not issued a certificate stating cause of death
* The deceased person was not attended by a medical practitioner within three months before death
* A person has died within 24 hours of, or as a result of, the administration of an anesthetic (does not include when a local anesthetic was used for resuscitation)
* A person has died within one year and one day of any accident to which the cause of death may be attributed
* A person has died while in, or temporarily absent from, certain establishments that have been providing them with care, treatment and assistance, such as a hospital, residential centre, welfare facility or residential child care centre, or
* A person has died while in police custody or while they were in, or temporarily absent from, a prison or a detention centre. An inquest must be held where there is a death in custody or during a Police Operation.