Over the last two years BMBC has worked towards establishing a single point of contact which can support bereaved families and communicate with the relevant bodies in order to ease the process for Muslim families, these include the Coroner’s office, Hospitals and Cemetery Department etc.
We have established links and are currently working with Hospital trusts and PCTs in Birmingham and Solihull area, advising on future policies and driving towards MRI Scans in replacement of Post-Mortems. We are also working with the Muslim Doctors and Dentist Association (MDDA) to ensure Doctors in hospital and at practices have visited vulnerable patients to prevent delays in providing certification.
The change in the Registry office to an appointment based system has meant further delays in the burial of our deceased. However there is a 1 hour window currently operational between 11am-12pm which provides an ‘emergency appointment’ to cater for our community and prevent delays. Additional Numbers: 0121 675 1004 or 0121 675 2902.
Recently we have also found issues around burials of miscarried foetuses under and over 16 weeks. In certain hospitals where the foetuses are not taken by the family, the hospitals cremate or bury according to the religious practices. However this is sometimes overlooked by the family and the funeral is not undertaken according to Islamic perspectives.
