Citation

Harris A. Med. Sci. Law 2017; 57(3): 152-157.

Affiliation

Southwark Coroner's Court, United Kingdom.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, British Academy of Forensic Sciences, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.1177/0025802417704103

PMID

28669277

Abstract

The Department of Health has completed its consultation on the nature of the new medical examiner system and supporting regulations. This article considers whether the regulations for death notification to coroners are fit for purpose in the light of the medical literature on unnatural deaths and the experience of a coroner in a jurisdiction with a heavy workload from specialist hospital referrals. It concludes that they are to be welcomed, but that they should not rely on natural/unnatural death as a criterion for notification of deaths during the course of medical treatment, or refer to 'neglect'. Furthermore, they should ensure that sudden-death syndromes, which may be considered by doctors as natural, are still notified. Relying on these changes to reduce coronial investigations would be unwise. If that is the intention, other reforms may be necessary.

Language: en

Keywords

Coroner; Department of Health regulations; death notification