Can any Healthcare workers advise?!

[Midgetgemxo]

I work in a hospital setting where a male with no family in contact is frequently in, on one visit the doctor was stating that due to him not having a next of kin that if it came to him dying basically no one would. As the type of person I am I just said “put me down”. I’d be happy enough to track family down and let them know if he had died ect as I wouldn’t want anyone just left in a morgue unclaimed.
To me in the beginning I didn’t see an issue with this and was blindsided by how this might look. I have now been told there will be a safeguarding issue brought against me. I’m just wanting some advice really on what to do. Obviously the last thing I want is to loose my job after 15+ years in the care sector over what I thought was just an act of kindness if you could call it that. 😔😔😔

If someone dies with no NOK, the the Coroner's Office and Social Services step in

This is made clear to all NHS workers

It's our job to care for patients, it's not our job to care about the patients' social or family circumstances, unless it impacts our care for them

You shouldn't have offered, but you shouldn't have been put in this position

That’s not an act of kindness, it’s a lack of professional boundaries. And could easily be seen as you trying to benefit financially in the event of the death of someone you only know through work. It should be covered in the safeguarding training you must have had if you’ve been in post for 15 years.
Remove yourself asap. There is likely to be an investigation if a safeguarding issue has been raised. Saying you don’t know what’s wrong will not end well. Educate yourself before any statement is taken and maintain a professional distance from patients in the future.
This may seem harsh but if you’re working with vulnerable patients you should know this already. You’re leaving yourself wide open to accusations that you won’t be able to reasonably defend.