The coroner

In certain cases, a doctor may be required to report the death to a coroner. For patients who die at Keech Hospice Care, this may be because:

• the patient died within 24 hours of admission • the patient had surgery in the last year • the patient had a fall during their admission • the cause of death is unknown • the death was sudden and unexplained • an industrial disease may have contributed to their death

The coroner may decide the cause of death is clear, in which case:

1. The doctor signs a medical certificate. 2. An appointment is made with the registrar for 48 hours after the patient has died. 3. The medical certificate is emailed to the registrar. 4. The coroner issues a certificate to the registrar stating a post-mortem isn’t needed. This is unless the patient has mesothelioma, in which case the coroner writes and issues the death certificate, and organises the cremation forms if required. For this, they will liaise directly with the family.