Recommendations
Chapter 9. The Coroner
Recommendations for Coroners
- The Coroners' Society shall instruct Coroners that:
- in the proper exercise of their judicial discretion, the decision
to order a post mortem examination is not to be delegated to
Coroner's Officers and Deputy Coroners must be available at
all times;
- organs are not to be retained unless relevant to establishing
the cause of death and only when specified by the pathologist
in writing.
- The Home Office and the Coroners' Society shall ensure all necessary
medical education for Coroners.
- The Home Office and the Coroners' Society shall ensure all
necessary training of Coroner's Officers and ancillary staff.
- Coroners shall be introduced, their function and procedures
explained and the next of kin invited to express any specific
concerns and requests.
- If a decision is made to authorise a post mortem examination
Coroners shall ensure that the next of kin are advised of:
- the reasons for authorising the post mortem examination;
- their right to ask the Coroner that the examination be carried
out by a pathologist independent of the hospital in which the
deceased died;
- the place and time of the examination and the identity of
the pathologist;
- 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 organ;
- their option to delay the funeral, while the pathologist
fixes and examines any organs, to enable the return of the organs
to the body for burial or cremation;
- their option for a funeral without the return of the organs,
in which case they shall be invited to consent to respectful
disposal by the Coroner;
- their option to make their own arrangements for respectful
disposal of the organs.
- If a decision is made not to authorise a post mortem examination,
Coroners shall notify the next of kin of that decision and give
sufficient reasons for the decision.
- Coroners shall ensure the expeditious examination and recording
of samples and organs.
- Coroners shall establish efficient systems for securing final
post mortem reports following histological examination.
- Coroners shall ensure that all existing retained organs, tissue,
blocks, slides, photographs and X-rays are specified within any
preliminary and final post mortem reports.
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