New death certification process for England and Wales will start in September

NHS trusts and GPs will be required by law to share records of all patients who die from natural causes with their local medical examiner from September, the government has announced.New legislation, which has been subject to several delays, will formalise changes to the process for certifying all deaths in England and Wales not investigated by a coroner. Due to come into force on 9 September 2024, it is designed to strengthen safeguards, prevent criminal activity, and offer greater protection and support to bereaved families.Changes to the death certification process were first proposed by the Shipman inquiry in 2005, which established that GP Harold Shipman had escaped detection for the murder of at least 215 patients by certifying that they had died from natural causes.Announcing the move on 15 April, the health minister Maria Caulfield said, “Reforming death certification is a highly complex and sensitive process, so it was important…
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