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
