Information for Family and Friends

Who are medical examiners and medical examiner officers, and what do they do?

Medical examiners are senior NHS doctors who, after completing specialist training, work part time in this role on behalf of NHSE. Their job is to give an independent view on causes of all deaths and the care provided.

Medical examiners and their staff (medical examiner officers) offer families and carers of the person who died an opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns about the causes of death, or about the care the person received before their death.  This will usually be through a telephone call, or sometimes a meeting. They can explain w­hat the medical language means and make it easier to understand what happened.  Medical examiners also look at relevant medical records and discuss the causes of death with the doctor who is completing the official death certificate (known as the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death). 

You can be confident medical examiners will provide an independent view. The Medical Examiner will never examine the cause of death of a person for whom they provided care for.

Coroners

Some deaths are notified to a coroner, who may decide to carry out their own independent investigation. The coroner will invstigate deaths where the cause of death was unnatural or, for example, where the death happened shortly after an operation. The medical examiner may sometimes give the coroner medical advice in these cases, but coroners lead these investigations. This link explains more about coroners and the types of deaths they investigate. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/notification-of-deaths-regulations-2019-guidance   

You can also request information in other formats by emailing the Ministry of Justice at coroners@justice.gov.uk.

Why am I being asked if I have any questions about the cause of death?

You are being asked if you would like to have a conversation with an independent, specially trained person about anything that may be worrying you about how the person who died was cared for. You may simply want to better understand why the person died, including by having medical terminology explained, or you may want to raise something about the care which did not feel right or ideal. This is your opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns. 

Medical examiners or medical examiner officers will discuss your feedback, questions and concerns. If they consider any issues with care need further investigation, they will refer these to someone who can do this.

As well as answering your questions, talking to a medical examiner helps the NHS provide better care for other patients and carers in future; for example, by identifying ways in which patient and family care could be improved.

Can I ask the medical examiner to talk to someone else if it’s too difficult for me to talk to them?

Yes, of course. The medical examiner or medical examiner officer may contact you to ask who you would like them to talk to instead, or you can let the medical team know if you would like someone other than you to be the first point of contact. The medical examiner or their office will usually phone you before the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is completed – but we can arrange another way of contacting you if you let us know what you prefer.

What questions will I be asked?

The medical examiner or medical examiner officer will explain what is written on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and why, and check if you have any questions or concerns. They will also discuss the medical examiner’s review and ask if you have any concerns or questions about the care the person received before their death. This is the best time for you to ask any questions and raise anything that concerns you.

What if I don’t want to talk to the medical examiner or medical examiner officer, or I don’t want to tell them about my concerns?

We understand this is likely to be a difficult time for you and it is your choice whether you talk to a medical examiner or not.  If you are not sure, you can contact the medical examiner or medical examiner officer and ask for more information before deciding if you want to go ahead – they are trained to help bereaved people and will be very understanding. 

Medical examiners and medical examiner officers provide an independent view, so if you can, we encourage you to talk to them. They can explain things to you and are specially trained to answer your questions.  If medical examiners find any potential issues, they will be able to raise these with the people who were responsible for the care of the person who died or refer the issues to someone who can investigate further. Talking to the medical examiner and medical examiner officer can help improve the care the NHS provides to other patients and carers in future. 

What will happen if something was not right?

The medical examiner and medical examiner officer are here to listen to your concerns and answer your questions and, if necessary, contact someone who can investigate further. Medical examiners will not investigate further themselves. 

Will funeral plans or release of the body take longer?

Medical examiners make every effort to avoid any delays and work with families and carers of the person who died to meet the legal requirements for registering deaths. Medical examiners and medical examiner officers will try to be flexible, for example where relatives would like the body to be released quickly. 

Who can I contact if I have further questions?

Contact us if you wish to discuss any part of the medical examiner service, contact us at the email address or telephone number below:

Monday to Friday: 08.00 to 16.00

Saturday and Sunday: 09.00am to 12.00pm