What Happens When Someone Dies
When someone dies, one of the first steps for their next of kin or representative is to obtain a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).
Depending on the circumstances, this is either:
- Certified by a medical professional (such as a GP, hospital doctor, or hospice doctor), or
- Investigated by a Coroner, if the death is unexpected or unclear.
As of 9th September 2024, a new law requires that all deaths in England and Wales must undergo an independent review by either a Coroner or a Medical Examiner, before the death can be registered.
What Is a Medical Examiner?
A Medical Examiner (ME) is a senior NHS doctor—either from a hospital or general practice—who works part-time in this specialist role after completing additional training.
Their role is to:
- Review the cause of death proposed by the attending doctor.
- Review the medical records of the deceased.
- Provide independent scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the death (unless referred to the Coroner).
- Speak to the bereaved family to explain the death and answer any questions or concerns.
What This Means in Practice
- All community deaths (excluding clear coroner referrals) must now be referred by the GP to the Medical Examiner’s Office.
- The Medical Examiner will:
- Review the deceased’s medical records.
- Contact the GP to confirm the proposed cause of death.
- Request the GP to complete the MCCD (death certificate), if appropriate.
- If needed, the Medical Examiner may ask the GP to refer the case to the Coroner.
- Once the GP has completed the MCCD, it is emailed back to the Medical Examiner.
- The Medical Examiner will then sign and forward the MCCD to the Registrar.
- The Medical Examiner (or their officer) will contact the next of kin to offer a conversation to explain the process, answer questions, or hear concerns.
This process is designed to provide clarity and reassurance, and should not delay arrangements significantly. However, death registration may take longer than the usual 5 working days due to the extra step of independent review.
Talking with the Medical Examiner
As a family member or representative, you will be offered the chance to speak with the Medical Examiner or Medical Examiner Officer.
This conversation allows you to:
- Understand what is written on the death certificate.
- Ask for clarification of medical terminology.
- Raise any concerns about the care your loved one received.
- Share feedback to help improve NHS services for others.
If the Medical Examiner identifies any concerns about the care, they may refer these for further review or investigation.
Important Notes for Bereaved Families
- You do not need to do anything differently under the new process.
- The Medical Examiner will contact you as part of their review.
- You cannot register the death until the Medical Examiner has completed their review and sent the MCCD to the Registrar.
- In some cases, this process may take longer than 5 days, especially if further review or referral is needed.