Losing someone you care about is always difficult, there is a dedicated bereavement support through our Patient Advice Liaison Service (PALS) team who are available to support and advise you about the next steps and practical arrangements that follow a death in hospital. The team work alongside the medical examiner’s service who provide an independent review of all deaths within the Trust.
If you are with your loved one at the time of death you should receive a booklet entitled: ‘Bereavement at our hospital’.
This helpful guide aims to give you practical advice and information about making arrangements following a death at our hospital and explains what you (or a member of your family) needs to do. A copy of this booklet can downloaded from this website.
On the first working day after your loved one has died, the listed next of kin will be contacted by a member of the hospitals PALS team, or a medical examiner officer (MEO) who will explain the paperwork process.
Should you wish to arrange to see your loved one in the Woodland Suite (located in Addenbrookes Hospital), please contact the mortuary team directly on 01223 217 106 Monday to Friday 8am to 4pm. Outside of these hours, please contact Addenbrooke’s Hospital switchboard on 01223 245 151 or 01223 805 000 and ask to speak with the on-call mortuary technician.
Hospital Chaplains
You may wish to speak with a Chaplain/Priest or other faith representative following the death of a loved one. The Chaplaincy team are here to meet the spiritual and religious needs of the whole hospital community, by providing specialist pastoral care for patients and relatives. The team is available each weekday on site from 8:00 - 16:00 and out of hours 24/7 for emergencies when someone of us is always available.
You can contact the Hospital Chaplains on via email at papworth.chaplaincy@nhs.net or by calling 07775 555172 or the Chaplaincy office on 01223 639121
Opening Hours:
The PALS office is open Monday - Friday (excluding bank holidays), 9am - 4pm (we provide a walk in service from 9-1pm and an online service in the afternoon from 1-4pm.
Telephone: 01223 638896 (Please leave a voicemail if there is no answer and a member of the team will contact you back).
Email: papworth.pals@nhs.net