Recommendations
Chapter 11. Consent
4. National Health Service Hospital Post Mortem
Consent Form for Children
4.7 Section 7
A request for consent to retention of organs or tissue following
completion of the Coroner's process should be made before
the Coroner's post mortem examination is carried out. There should
be no distinction in the consent process between organ retention
following completion of the Coronial process and a hospital post
mortem examination
4.8 Section 8
Retention – individual attitudes to the body following death
must be identified, acknowledged and respected
Identify, explain and discuss with next of kin:
- Each organ to be retained
- Purpose of retention
- Confirmation that retained organ(s) will only be used for purpose
consented to by next of kin
- Whether organs to be examined will be returned to body prior
to funeral – if not:
- How long the funeral would have to be postponed to complete
examination before organs can be returned to body
- Whether next of kin wish to postpone the funeral or not
- Certificate to confirm organs returned to body prior to funeral
to be issued to next of kin
- Organs retained beyond funeral will be identified and accompanied
by signed consent form throughout use for relevant purpose
- Tissue samples and purpose for retention
- Whether tissue may be used for therapeutic, medical education
or research purposes following diagnostic use
- Whether next of kin consent to retention of organ or tissue:
- In a collection
- In an archive
- As microscopic samples
- Date when, place where and by whom ethical approval granted
if purpose of retention for research
- Whether organ or tissue can be retained without limit of
time for medical education and research so long as it is handled
respectfully
- Next of kin have right to give instruction for respectful
disposal following completion of purpose for which organ or
tissue retained
4.9 Section 9
Signatures:
- Next of kin for post mortem examination
- Countersignature of clinician, bereavement adviser or other
witness as appropriate
- Date, time and place of signing of consent
We have tried to set out the matters that the clinician must consider
in order to obtain fully informed consent from the next kin. The
standard is high but achievable given openness, frankness and honesty
between clinician and next of kin. We feel that this process can
be assisted by the availability of a bereavement adviser, particularly
as the next of kin is likely to be suffering a grief reaction. The
function of the bereavement adviser is considered in the next chapter.
