Care of the deceased patient and their relatives is an emotional time and often one of the most memorable experiences that families have. It is imperative that we get this right for every patient and every family every time. Feedback and complaints indicate there can be considerable variability in how this is managed for individual patients and their families. Four core elements to test were agreed with ward staff - Respectful care and management of the deceased patient, sensitive return of patient possessions, timeous issue of death certificate and information provided to relatives to enhance communication.
