Advice

My mum passed away in A&E two weeks ago, she had been battling cancer for 4 years, she was in a nursing home when she got rushed into hospital, I got to spend 10mins with her before the ambulance too her away. I never saw her again. She died an hour later in the gwent. I've not been able to get any info about her, I dont know where she is or what is happening, I cant get a death certificate and the coroner doesnt have any record of her, so I dont know where she is and i cant get hold of anyone to talk too as I'm pushed from pillar to post, it took a week to manage to talk fo someone and still nothing is moving, I dont know what to do. My mums been in the hospital for two weeks and she should be at the funeral home, will I be able to see her when she is finally taken to the funeral director? As it will be over 2 weeks since she has passed, I'm nervous and stressed out and I dont know what to do, everything is at a standstill, I know lots of people are in my situation, but it's still hard. I dont have any family left now, so any advice would be of great comfort. She was given a blood test for covid19, but they wont tell me the results as its patient confidentiality, even though I'm next of kin, so I have been self isolating, not knowing.

  • Hi Emmie ...

    Oh my that's so sad ... and extremely crule ... maybe try phoning Marie Currie, or McMillan and see if they can advise you on what to do now .. I wish I could help more , but it's a mad world we live in now ... l wasn't allowed in my own sisters funeral, as they'd only let 10 in .. even though we could have sat one in each line and had the 6ft distance there .. so I know the heartache it's causing ..

    My heart goes out to you .. but try ringing those numbers on Monday... I so hope you get someone who will tell you what is going on ... sending you a vertual hug.... let us know how you get on ... Chrissie xx

  • Hi Emmie,

    I'm so sorry you are going through this at this awful time. I know how difficult it can be when the death of a loved one isn't dealt with properly at a hospital.

    Amongst the phone numbers you have tried, have you asked if there is a Bereavement Support Office at the Royal Gwent Hospital? Most hospitals have them & it's where any queries regarding the medical certificate completed by the doctor certifying death are made. They should have a record of who certified your mum's death & they can then say what happened to your mum from thereon. Usually, our loved one would be kept in the hospital mortuary until the family have arranged a funeral director to collect them & take them to their chapel of rest. If the death can't be registered (if your mum hasn't been under a doctor's care in the 2 weeks leading up to her death) they are usually transferred for a post mortem & possible inquest. If this happens the coroner would have your mum's details so it seems this isn't the case.

    I hope you can get through to any Bereavement Support they have. If you get no help from the hospital perhaps try making a complaint to PALS (Patient Advice & Liaison Service) at the hospital & they should investigate what has happened.

    With regard to the Covid test result - have you asked the care home staff if they've received the result as they should have been informed if it was positive.

    You should be able to see mum at the funeral director's chapel of rest. They will let you know when you can attend (usually a day or two after they have collected your mum). 

    My thoughts are with you & I hope you manage to get this sorted out quickly,

    Angie x