Bereavement Services

Our Bereavement Care Service offers confidential support for anyone who has experienced the death of a close relative or friend at our Trust.
The death of an adult family member or friend may bring about distressing and sometimes unexpected emotions. Grieving can often start at the time of death, but for some people this starts at the time of a diagnosis. Grief is a normal process following a bereavement and can affect you in different ways – whether emotionally, physically, socially and in many practical areas of life.

Bereavement Survey
At Sandwell and West Birmingham NHS trust we recognise the importance of monitoring the quality of the care we give to our patients in the final phase of their life.  If your loved one has died at our Trust, and you feel ready to share your experience please click here to complete our bereavement survey.
https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/swbBereavement

Meet our Bereavement Care team below. They are available to speak to you should you have an queries about the death of a loved one, whilst in our care. 

Angie Jones, Bereavement Care Coordinator

Sue Edwards, Bereavement Specialist Nurse

Who are medical examiners?
Since 2019, senior NHS doctors from a range of specialties, including general practice, have had the opportunity to undertake specialist training to work as a medical examiner (ME). Their role is to scrutinise medical records and provide independent advice to doctors with regards to causes of deaths for all patients who die within acute hospitals – except those deaths which will be reviewed by a coroner. Medical examiners are also supported by officers. Either will contact the next of kin of the deceased patients to discuss the cause of death and answer any questions the bereaved families may have in regards to the care their loved one received.

Medical examiners seek to answer three questions:

  1. What caused the death of the deceased?
  2. Does the coroner need to be notified of the death?
  3. Was the care before death appropriate?

 

FAQs

What questions will I be asked by a medical examiner?
The medical examiner or officers (ME/MEO) will explain the contents of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) and will ask if you have any questions or concerns about the contents of the MCCD or the care that was provided to your loved one.
If an ME/MEO cannot answer your questions at the time of the call, they will provide support and assist in seeking the answers from the correct department/colleague as appropriate.

Do I still need to speak with an ME if I have no concerns?
A discussion with the ME/MEO provides families/NOK with an opportunity to have an open discussion and address any worries or concerns with someone who is independent and not involved with the care of the deceased.
You may not have any concerns about the care but the call will help you better understand what is written on the MCCD and you may have questions about understanding the contents – which the team are able to help with.
You may want to use this opportunity to discuss positive experiences about the care your loved one received. Your thoughts, opinions and feedback will help us provide better care for patients and their families in the future by recognising areas for improvement and highlighting areas where we are excelling.

Can I ask someone else to speak to the team on my behalf?
Yes, the ME/MEO will contact you directly as the next of kin and you are welcome to nominate someone else for us to talk to.
Our first contact with you will usually be by telephone, if you wish to make alternative arrangements to speak with us, this can be done once you let us know you wish to do so.

Can I refuse to speak to the ME/MEO team?
Our team of ME/MEOs are specially trained to answer your questions or direct you to the correct place to find answers to your queries. If possible, we would like you to speak to the team, however, we understand this is a sensitive time for many people and so speaking to the team is entirely your choice.
If you would like the team to call you at a later time or you would like to make contact with us at a later time to discuss concerns or ask any questions, you can contact us.

What happens if I have concerns or something was not right?
ME/MEOs will not directly investigate the issues further themselves, but they will refer the case to someone who can investigate further and look in to any potential issues.

Meet the team

Lead Medical Examiner
Dr Chizo Agwu

Lead Medical Examiner Officer
Kiran Kandola

Medical Examiner Officers
Claire Jones, Iman Hassan

The team are supported by 13 MEs.

Contact details

Email: swbh.medical-examiners-officer@nhs.net or swbh.me-office@nhs.net
Tel: 0121 507 3473
The opening hours are Monday – Friday 8am – 4pm

Patient Information

Please see our booklets – Help for the bereaved: A practical guide below. Additional information about changes that have occurred during the coronavirus pandemic are also below.

Below are links to information which will help you make important decisions during this sensitive time. 

Sandwell General Hospital Bereavement Booklet
COVID-19 – Sandwell

City Hospital Bereavement Booklet 
COVID–19 – City

You can find details of other organisations that may be able to offer further guidance and support in our Bereavement Support Directory.

Additional patient leaflets
The loss of your baby ML6634
Taking your baby home

 

Many people find the help of family and friends is enough to support them through the experience of bereavement, however sometimes it can be beneficial to talk with someone who is outside the family circle.

Our team will contact you by telephone following your loss to offer emotional support and guidance. You may also contact us directly via telephone or email if immediate support is needed.

Telephone: 0121 507 3216 (Monday – Friday 8am-4pm)

Email: swbh@bereavementcare.nhs.net

For queries with regards registering a death please call our CARES offices:

Sandwell General Hospital: 0121 507 3464

City Hospital: 0121 507 4368