I prepared this top-level process map during work with the Department of Health\'s Death Certification Programme. It has published in a wide range of documents and presentations in a number of different iterations over a 4 year period.

1. Overview of Process for Death Certification (from April 2014)
Clinical Governance from ONS
data on patterns and trends / issues
Invitation to If new concerns raised during registration Confirmation
reissue MCCD of deaths for which ME has issued a ME-2
Death MCCD Scrutiny Notification MCCD Registration Burial or
Verification of Prepared of MCCD & info, to registrar of Issued usually before Cremation
fact of death & by QAP & copied to ext. examination confirmed or to informant with burial / cremation after green form
decision whether ME with statutory & discussion with certified cause of information on (except if urgent or
from registrar or
to notify coroner information doctor & relatives death on ME-2 implants etc. where inquest)
coroner’s order/cert
Option: Records provided for ‘Early Scrutiny’
Advice Deaths
Notifiable
provided by ME to referred as
deaths &
doctors /Form
QAP, a result of
enquiries HMC-1 Form Form 99
100A
coroner and/or
scrutiny
Report 100B or 120 & 121
coroner’s officers
Initial Assessment Investigation
Initial Talk with Coroner’s Inquest Coroner’s
Discussion relatives etc. Post Mortem burial order
with a doctor if required and if required or certificate
when a death is decide whether for cremation
Advice that Decision to
reported / notified to investigate
investigation is investigate
not required
The inquest stage of the investigation may be suspended
as a result of criminal proceedings, public inquiry or an
investigation by another country into a death in their
jurisdiction and then either resumed or not resumed.
Key:
Process step(s) Doctors, clinicians Medical Examiner’s Coroners and their Registrars, funeral directors &
carried out by: & other healthcare staff Service officers and staff cemetery / crematorium staff
Abbreviations & Notes: QAP = Qualified attending practitioner. ME = Medical examiner. Statutory information required with the copy of the MCCD may be documented in records.
External examination may be delegated in certain conditions. The HMC-1 Report is issued by a coroner for deaths that have been reported, notified or referred but do not need to be investigated.
Draft v013a (18-Jun-12)