Recommendations
Chapter 9. The Coroner
Recommendations for Clinicians
- The Department of Health, the Royal Colleges and medical schools
shall instruct members of the medical profession in the precise
terms and provisions of the Coroner's Act 1988 and in particular
the circumstances in which it is obligatory to report cases to
the Coroner.
- Clinicians shall give the following basic information to the
next of kin when a Coroner's post mortem examination is to be
performed.
- The nature of the examination, including the need to open
the body and to remove and weigh organs.
- The need for samples and possible retention of organs.
- Clinicians wishing to retain organs or samples after the end
of the Coroner's process for the purposes currently allowed under
the Human Tissue Act 1961 shall follow the Recommendations in
Chapter 10.
- Clinicians shall not mention to the next of kin the possibility
of an examination under the Coroner's jurisdiction unless the
death is reportable to the Coroner.
- Clinicians requesting a hospital post mortem examination after
the Coroner has declined to authorise an examination shall make
it clear to the next of kin that there is no compulsion remaining
for such an examination.
- Clinicians shall explain the contents and implications of a
Coroner's post mortem report to the next of kin as if the examination
had been carried out as a hospital post mortem examination on
their own recommendation.
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