ONE of the toughest jobs in Hillingdon Hospital is helping relatives come to terms with the loss of a loved one.

More than 60 patients die every month and have to remain in the hospital’s care until paperwork has been completed.

Bereavement officers Anne Jenkinson and Gill McGuinness gently guide relatives through the process, offering support and explaining the formalities.

The team’s busiest time is Monday morning, with up to 20 deaths recorded over the weekend.

Doctors come in and out of the office between their ward rounds to sign documentation.

“We never know what’s going to come through the door,” says Ann, who has spent 25 years in the role.

“People react differently to grief. Some want to get in and out of here as quickly as possible, while others want to sit and talk. Our job is to support the relatives.

“It’s an extremely rewarding job, but it can be tough. You need to understand that people react to grief differently.”

The team work closely with doctors, who complete forms, including the clinical death certificate, which gives cause of death and is needed to officially register the death.

Relatives take this to the Registrar’s Office at Hillingdon Civic Centre, where they are issued with legal death certificates.

Anne and Gill are also responsible for gathering the deceased’s possessions and returning them to the family.

Gill added: “Possessions are a delicate area because they can hold a lot of sentimental value.

“A particular object may be the last thing the deceased had with them and that offers comfort to some relatives.”

The bereavement team also make funeral arrangements and help put the deceased’s estate in order, if there is no next of kin. This includes informing the bank and utility companies.

Anne added: “When I first started working here, I used to have to go to the deceased’s homes to look for relevant documentation.

“On one occasion, I went to a house where the weeds where growing up to the first-floor windows.

“The woman had been a recluse, from the state of the property, but amid all the rubbish was the most beautiful antique furniture.

“I found a large cupboard full of rolled banknotes of various currencies, together with lots of unsigned cheques. We discovered she had belonged to a wealthy family.”

There are heartening stories among the sad ones, including a 97-year-old man who recently drove all the way from Southampton to collect his 90-year-old brother’s belongings.

Anne said: “He was a lovely man and just wanted to do the right thing, despite his age. We had a nice chat and sorted all the paperwork out.

“It makes us feel good about what we do when we can make things easier for people.

“Our mantra has always been for relatives to leave our office with a positive attitude that Hillingdon Hospital always does its best for people.”