Body sent to wrong funeral home by care services.

Grumpy_chap

born_again said:

teaselMay said:

There are plenty of circumstances where calling an ambulance or doctor is not what happens, or should happen, when someone dies. 

Someone has to declare the person deceased. This has to be either a doctor & someone with the correct level of training.

Sad for OP, but was anyone called by the carer from the family, as that would be odd not too, even at anytime of day or night.

This is what I was alluding to - AIUI most Carer's do not have this level of authority.  Nor do I believe that Undertakers have this level of authority - they are familiar with dealing with individuals some hours after the event.

It is just the OP said:

acR said:

My Uncle died recently at home whilst under constant care. It was during the night and the carer just rang the nearest funeral director to have the body removed. 

As you have mentioned, a call for an Ambulance would seem appropriate in that circumstance, rather than to a Funeral Director.
Will a Funeral Director even transport an individual if there has not been a declaration of cessation of life?

TBH, if I was the Carer in the circumstance, and if I was qualified to declare cessation of life, I would probably call for Ambulance to attend so that I was personally protected against any possible claim of not having done everything possible for the individual.

I also agree that calling relatives at any time of the day would be common.

user1977

I thought the normal advice for an expected death at home was to call the GP first? No point in extra work for the ambulances/hospital. But no urgency to get the funeral director involved.

From Age UK website:

If someone dies at home and their death was expected

Call their GP practice and nearest relative (if that's not you). In most instances, the doctor will then issue a medical certificate that states the cause of death to allow the death to be registered. You’ll also be given a formal notice stating that the medical certificate has been signed. This notice tells you how to register the death. Then, when you feel ready to do so, you can contact a funeral director of your choice who will move the body.

Grumpy_chap

user1977 said:

I thought the normal advice for an expected death at home was to call the GP first? No point in extra work for the ambulances/hospital. But no urgency to get the funeral director involved.

From Age UK website:

If someone dies at home and their death was expected

Call their GP practice and nearest relative (if that's not you). In most instances, the doctor will then issue a medical certificate that states the cause of death to allow the death to be registered. You’ll also be given a formal notice stating that the medical certificate has been signed. This notice tells you how to register the death. Then, when you feel ready to do so, you can contact a funeral director of your choice who will move the body.

Thanks.

Presumably, the GP does not just issue the death certificate over the phone but actually attends the premises to evidence that the individual is, indeed, deceased.

I am not sure what level of out-of-hours cover the GP will offer these days - it probably varies.

BUT, the OP has reported that the individual passed during the night and the Carer simply called a Funeral Director out-of-hours - did not, apparently, call any Medical person (whether GP or Ambulance) and did not call family.

born_again

Grumpy_chap said:

user1977 said:

I thought the normal advice for an expected death at home was to call the GP first? No point in extra work for the ambulances/hospital. But no urgency to get the funeral director involved.

From Age UK website:

If someone dies at home and their death was expected

Call their GP practice and nearest relative (if that's not you). In most instances, the doctor will then issue a medical certificate that states the cause of death to allow the death to be registered. You’ll also be given a formal notice stating that the medical certificate has been signed. This notice tells you how to register the death. Then, when you feel ready to do so, you can contact a funeral director of your choice who will move the body.

Thanks.

Presumably, the GP does not just issue the death certificate over the phone but actually attends the premises to evidence that the individual is, indeed, deceased.

I am not sure what level of out-of-hours cover the GP will offer these days - it probably varies.

BUT, the OP has reported that the individual passed during the night and the Carer simply called a Funeral Director out-of-hours - did not, apparently, call any Medical person (whether GP or Ambulance) and did not call family.

I know when my mother died in care home (expected) Doctor was called & 6 hours later had not attended. So care home manager confirmed death, allowing for funeral director to collect.

lincroft1710

Grumpy_chap said:

acR said:

Hello, My Uncle died recently at home whilst under constant care. It was during the night and the carer just rang the nearest funeral director to have the body removed. My Uncle had a prepaid funeral plan from a company which this particular funeral director didn't work with. The next day body then had to moved to the correct funeral director. I have just been told we will be billed for having to have the body relocated. It is a not insignificant sum. 
If the carer had rang the next of kin they could have informed them of this as they had all the details of the funeral plan. Do they have cause for complaint or should they just leave it ?

Are there gaps in the information here?

If the individual was under constant care, did the Carer present when he took a turn for the worst not call for an Ambulance / Doctor in the first instance?
I would have then expected the Ambulance to take the patient (even if obviously deceased) to the hospital, where a Dr can formally declare life extinct.  Perhaps the Ambulance would transfer direct to the hospital mortuary if the Medics on board were able to declare life extinct. 
Arrangements for transfer to a Funeral Director would then follow in the fullness of day.

So far as I an aware, out of hours calls to Funeral Directors are not really a common thing - at least not in this country and outside of the movie screen.

When my mother unexpectedly collapsed at home 20 years ago my father called an ambulance. However the paramedics could not revive her and she was pronounced dead but was not taken to hospital. So I have to presume either a doctor was present or the paramedics were suitably trained as she was certified dead and her body removed by the funeral director to their premises within a couple of hours.

acR

LightFlare said:

Not sure how they think you are liable.

You didn’t have a contract with them

Sorry if I wasn't clear. They are charging the estate for moving the body, so perhaps that's right.

sheramber

Who issued the death certificate confirming  cause  of death?

acR

eskbanker said:

I suspect that much will depend on the terms of the carer's contract, i.e. if it addresses how this situation ought to be dealt with, and the extent to which next of kin need to be contacted for instructions.

We don't have a copy of the terms of the carers contract as the contract wasn't with us . I will look into getting hold of one. I should clarify they are charging the Estate for moving the body.

powerful_Rogue

acR said:

LightFlare said:

Not sure how they think you are liable.

You didn’t have a contract with them

Sorry if I wasn't clear. They are charging the estate for moving the body, so perhaps that's right.

How much is the charge?

eskbanker

acR said:

eskbanker said:

I suspect that much will depend on the terms of the carer's contract, i.e. if it addresses how this situation ought to be dealt with, and the extent to which next of kin need to be contacted for instructions.

We don't have a copy of the terms of the carers contract as the contract wasn't with us . I will look into getting hold of one. I should clarify they are charging the Estate for moving the body.

Who commissioned the provision of the care services, the deceased, their next of kin, or A N Other?