What to do When Someone Dies in Australia

Death can be confusing and completely overwhelming, and understandably many people aren’t sure what to do when their loved one passes away.

What you do directly after a person’s death depends on a range of factors, including where they were when they died and how the death occurred. We explain what to do in several different scenarios below.

Also, we do suggest calling your chosen funeral director as soon as possible after the death, or our approachable team at Anton Brown Funerals, so we can begin funeral arrangements and assist with other necessary practical tasks.

You will also need to advise many people about the death of your loved one, and you can find a checklist of who to notify here.

What to do When Someone Dies at Home

The actions you take following a death at home will depend on whether the death was expected or unexpected.

What to do if your loved one was unwell and death was expected

1. Call their doctor: If your loved one has been unwell and receiving regular care from a doctor for the last three months then their doctor is the first person to contact. The doctor can confirm the cause of death and issue a medical cause of death certificate.
2. Contact Anton Brown Funerals or your preferred funeral director to arrange the transfer of the deceased to the funeral home.

What to do when someone dies unexpectedly at home

1. Call an ambulance on 000: When someone dies unexpectedly in your home, the first number to call is 000.  A doctor will be contacted by the paramedic and will then write a death certificate. However, if a cause of death cannot be determined by the doctor, the police will be called. Police will report the death to the coroner if the cause of death is unexpected and not natural. More information can be found on the Queensland Health website.

What to do when someone dies suddenly

If the death is the result of an accident or emergency, then the Queensland Ambulance Service personnel will complete a life extinct form and contact the person’s doctor who will then complete a death certificate.

If the death is sudden and the cause of death isn’t known then the doctor or paramedics will need to notify the police. The body should not be moved or disturbed until police have completed initial investigations.

Following this, a government-appointed undertaker will transport the deceased to the State Mortuary. Once here the deceased is under the care of the coroner who will investigate and determine the cause of death. It is at this point that Anton Brown Funerals can be contacted to liaise with the mortuary and begin making funeral arrangements.

What to do When Someone Dies in Hospital

When your loved one passes away in a hospital, you may be allowed to have some time alone with them or organise other family members to say goodbye at a viewing, prior to any other arrangements being made.

The Nurse in Charge or Director of Nursing will organise a doctor to issue a cause of death certificate. If the cause of death is unknown or unnatural, the hospital must inform the coroner.

When appropriate the hospital staff will arrange the transfer of the deceased person to our funeral home.

If your loved one dies in a nursing home, the process is similar. We explain more here.