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Health: Shipman Inquiry

Answer

The department published a consultation paper, Improving the Process of Death Certification, on 24 July 2007. The paper sought views on proposals to address the weaknesses identified by the Shipman inquiry in the process of death certification in England and Wales. Key proposals are that: all medical certificates of cause of death (MCCDs), with the exception of cases referred directly to the coroner by the certifying doctor, would be subject to scrutiny by an independent medical examiner appointed by a primary care trust (or an equivalent organisation in Wales) and with strong links to the National Health Service clinical governance teams; if the medical examiner was satisfied that all was in order, he/she would issue an authorisation enabling the family of the deceased to register the death and proceed to burial or cremation; where the medical examiner was not satisfied that the MCCD told the full story, or felt that there were other unusual circumstances, he/she would refer the case to the coroner for further investigation, along with his/her reasons for doing so; the medical examiner would have full access to medical records and would be empowered to discuss the circumstances of the death with the doctor signing the MCCD and with the family of the deceased; and NHS clinical governance teams would collate information from MCCDs and would use this to analyse trends and patterns, looking out for unusual features, such as those revealed by Shipman's pattern of deaths. Clauses implementing these important reforms will be included in the coroners and death certification Bill announced as part of the Government's draft legislative programme for 2008-09. A summary of responses to the consultation on Improving the Process of Death Certification will be published by the department on 21 May 2008. The Government believe these proposals represent a transparent, proportionate, consistent and affordable response to the weaknesses identified by the Shipman inquiry that will provide greater protection for the public and improve the quality and accuracy of death certification. The proposals will also improve public health surveillance and remove current inequalities in the way burials and cremations are dealt with.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

701 c194-6WA; 3544

Session

2007-08

Related items

Health: Murder of Patients
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Written questions
House of Lords

Subjects

Cemeteries Coroners Cremation Doctors Homicide Patients Protection Registration of births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships Harold Shipman Tribunal of Inquiry

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk