There are statutory changes coming into place from April 2024 whereby all non-coronial deaths (deaths which are not reportable to a coroner) are to be referred to a local Medical Examiners Office.

The Medical Examiner System introduces medical scrutiny to the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) for non-coronial deaths.

GP Practices have been asked to implement these changes before this process becomes statutory in April 2024, so these will come into affect from the end of February 2024.

What these changes will mean

When the practice is notified of a death, information will need to be obtained to enable a GP to refer the death to the Medical Examiners Office (or where appropriate to the Coroner).

Information that will be required:

• date/time and location of death
• occupation of the deceased (or last occupation if retired/not working at time of death)
• next of kin details (name, relationship, contact details)

These details will be passed to the relevant GP who can complete the MCCD. The GP will complete a referral form to the Medical Examiners Office indicating how they intend to complete the MCCD.

The Medical Examiner (ME) will then carry out an independant review of the patients death and hold a discussion with the Next of Kin to establish whether they have any concerns, and offer an
opportunity to ask any questions relating to the cause of death or care/treatment.

Within 2 working days the ME will then refer back to the GP:

• Agreeing with cause of death – MCCD will then be issued by GP
• Advising of an alteration which will be discussed with GP – MCCD will then be issued by GP
• Advise referral to the Coroner for a specified reason

What is a medical examiner?

Medical examiners are senior medical doctors, who are trained in the legal and clinical elements of death certification processes.

The role of the medical examiner includes:

• Reviewing the medical records.
• Liaising with the doctor who treated the patient in their final illness.
• Agreeing the proposed cause of death with the attending doctor and the overall accuracy of the medical certificate cause of death.
• Discussing the proposed cause of death with the next of kin, ensuring they understand any medical terms and providing an opportunity for them to raise any concerns, comments or compliments that they may have.
• Acting as a medical advice resource for the local coroner.
• Ensuring any concerns about the care of the patient are acted on appropriately (and if possible that any compliments are relayed to the relevant person[s]).

Aims of the Medical Examiner System

The stated aims of the Medical Examiner System are summarised below:

• To provide greater safeguards for the public by ensuring proper scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths.
• To ensure the appropriate direction of deaths to the coroner.
• To provide a better service for the bereaved and an opportunity for them to raise any concerns to a doctor not involved in the care of the deceased.
• To improve the quality of death certification.
• To improve the quality of mortality data.

For more information on these changes, visit the government website: An overview of the death certification reforms

Welcome to the Brewood Medical Practice Newsletter page.

BMP Bitesize is the regular newsletter sharing surgery information with the local community in bitesize chunks! Download your copy…

With new Covid 19 / Omicron infections sweeping the country it is more important than ever to protect each other.

Masks MUST be worn when attending the GP surgery for any reason. If you do not have a mask, you will not be permitted to enter the premises. This applies to patients, staff and visitors to the Brewood, Wheaton Aston and Coven sites.

To minimise risk, patients suffering with any type of respiratory symptoms will be booked for a telephone consultation initially with a member of the team. Based on the telephone assessment, patients may be invited to attend a face to face appointment which will be booked into an outside consultation room to avoid cross contamination of other areas.

Please observe social distancing when inside the buildings and use the hand sanitisers provided.

All other appointments, services, reviews and procedures will continue as normal across all sites.

In addition to routine procedures, Brewood Medical Practice will be continuing to deliver Covid Boosters to help protect the local community and beyond.

Between 1^st September and 30^th November 2021, there were 433 appointments wasted across Brewood and Wheaton Aston surgeries.

Patients either did not attend a booked appointment without cancelling it or arrived too late for a scheduled appointment where the whole allocated appointment time has been missed.

The duration of appointments can vary from just a few minutes up to a 45 minute procedure at the surgery. However, if any appointment is not attended, it cannot be offered to another patient at such short notice. This then wastes both clinical time and adds to other patients’ wait for routine appointments.

If you don’t need it – cancel it!

If you don’t need your booked appointment or have Covid 19 symptoms and therefore cannot attend a face to face appointment, please cancel so someone else can use the slot.

Stay at home if you have coronavirus symptoms

Stay at home for 7 days if you have either:

• a high temperatue
• a new, continuous cough
• a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste

Do not come to the practice, pharmacy or hospital

You do not need to contact 111 to tell them you’re staying at home.

Click link for advice on staying at home.

Use the NHS 111 online coronavirus service if:

• you feel you cannot cope with your symptoms at home
• your condition gets worse
• your symptoms do not get better after 7 days

Click to use the 111 coronavirus service

Only call 111 if you cannot get help online.

Changes Being Made in Practice

Due to current concerns regarding coronavirus we will be implementing measures to protect patients, the public and staff. This is to prevent transmission of the virus to vulnerable patients and others.

We have moved to a video and telephone consultation model. Please note that telephone and video consultation times are an approximate time e.g. an appointment time in the morning could be any time in the morning the same for an afternoon – this is due to current work pressures and the different way the practice is needing to work.

Patients will only be seen face to face if deemed appropriate and safe following their video/telephone consultation. All patients must wear a face mask or covering when attending the practice.

We will be asking patients who do not have a nominated pharmacy for electronic prescriptions to set one so these can be sent directly to the pharmacy resulting in reduced footfall in the practice.

There are 2 new support groups being held at Brewood Medical Practice – please see below for details: