I am growing more and more frustrated with the bureaucracy one has to deal with when someone dies.
Last Friday my brother and I had all sorts of problems even contacting the Bereavement Office at Queens Hospital, Romford, and when we finally made it through the hospital's security system they were singularly unhelpful ... and very unsympathetic.
We were eventually informed that because the cause of my father's death was 'unknown', the Coroner would have to determine the actual cause of death. This might require a post mortem examination, which we were told would be done on Monday. I was assured - by the Coroner's Officer I spoke to - that the results should be available on Monday, and that I would be informed of them that afternoon by telephone.
I was not.
I have been trying to contact the Coroner's Office since 8.00am this morning ... but when I get through to the number I have been given, all I hear is a recorded message that tells me that they are very busy, and that I should call back later. More than two hours later ... and after more than twenty attempts ... I am still trying to find out what the results of the post mortem are. Until the Coroner determines the cause of death, my family and I cannot register the death or begin any of the definite arrangements for my father's funeral.
It is all very frustrating.
Last Friday my brother and I had all sorts of problems even contacting the Bereavement Office at Queens Hospital, Romford, and when we finally made it through the hospital's security system they were singularly unhelpful ... and very unsympathetic.
We were eventually informed that because the cause of my father's death was 'unknown', the Coroner would have to determine the actual cause of death. This might require a post mortem examination, which we were told would be done on Monday. I was assured - by the Coroner's Officer I spoke to - that the results should be available on Monday, and that I would be informed of them that afternoon by telephone.
I was not.
I have been trying to contact the Coroner's Office since 8.00am this morning ... but when I get through to the number I have been given, all I hear is a recorded message that tells me that they are very busy, and that I should call back later. More than two hours later ... and after more than twenty attempts ... I am still trying to find out what the results of the post mortem are. Until the Coroner determines the cause of death, my family and I cannot register the death or begin any of the definite arrangements for my father's funeral.
It is all very frustrating.
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Bob
ReplyDeleteThis is terrible
Hi Bob,
ReplyDeleteI know exactly how you must be feeling as we had the same situation when my mother died. It is truly horrible to be stuck in the hands of officialdom at a time like this simply because everything seems to be at a standstill.
I hope you can get is resolved sooner rather than later so that you can move on to the next stage.
Best wishes and the best of luck,
DC
Johntheone,
ReplyDeleteAmazingly, just after I had written this blog entry, the Coroner's Office contacted me ... and explained that their computer and telephone system had stooped working later yesterday.
Things are now back on track ... I hope!
All the best,
Bob
David Crook,
ReplyDeleteThere have been times over the past few days when I thought that my head would explode. Either that, or I might lose my temper big time!
In the end things have begun to move forward ... and the delay was not due to bureaucratic ineptitude but down to a computer failure.
Sometimes it is so very easy to get waylaid and frustrated by the vagaries of electronic devices ...
All the best,
Bob