Pakistan Muslim Welfare Association
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Medical Examiner Service
Under the medical examiner’s regulations, medical examiners provide independent scrutiny of causes of death and will be a contact for bereaved people who wish to ask questions or raise concerns.
Medical examiners are senior medical doctors who are contracted for a number of sessions a week to provide independent scrutiny of the causes of death, outside their usual clinical duties. They are trained in the legal and clinical elements of death certification processes.
Medical examiners, supported by medical examiner officers under delegation, carry out a proportionate review of medical records and give bereaved people the opportunity to ask questions and raise concerns.
The purpose of the medical examiner system is to:
- Provide greater safeguards for the public by ensuring independent scrutiny of all non-coronial deaths
- Ensure the appropriate direction of death to the coroner
- Provide a better service for the bereaved and an opportunity for them to raise any concerns to a doctor not involved in the care of the deceased
- Improve the quality of death certification
- Improve the quality of mortality data
Notifying PMWA of Palliative and/or End of life care.
If you or a loved one have been placed on Palliative and/or End of life care and you are not a member of any funeral association, please complete this form.
A member of our team will contact you within 2 working days.
Updating Patient Details with GP
Please fill in the below form, to generate a PDF form that you can then print and hand to your GP Practice.
FAQ
What is a medical examiner
Medical examiners are senior medical doctors who are contracted for a number of sessions a week to provide independent scrutiny of the causes of death, outside their usual clinical duties. They are trained in the legal and clinical elements of death certification processes.
Why do we have this new process?
Many of you will recall a GP by the name of Harold Shipman who sadly killed hundreds of his patience and had gone unnoticed for many years.
The Medical Examiner system, was created to prevent such future events.
How long has the Medical Examiner system been active for?
The Medical Examiner service has been functioning in a non-statutory setting for several years in Surrey. Initially focussing on some hospital deaths and more recently focussing on some community deaths. From 9 September, all deaths must be referred to either a medical examiner or a coroner for review.
Who do I inform that a member of my family is on palliative care and/or end of life treatment.
If you belong to a funeral association, it is important to update them as early as possible. They will be able to work with relevant stakeholders to ensure a smooth and quick transition.
I do not belong to any funeral association.
If you are not a member of any funeral association, at the time of being notified you or a loved one is on palliative care and/or end of life treatment, you can notify the PMWA via their website, who will provide support.
I have concerns about the care my loved one received before death.
It is extremely important; you share these concerns with the Medical Examiner service.
Is there guaranteed out of hours service from all stakeholders
Through significant engagement with all stakeholders, it is important to note the community has their support in facilitating our needs.
Excluding Frimley Park Hospital, which also support Berkshire residents, the data does not support a guaranteed out of hours provision.
This does not mean there is no support, rather it means ad-hoc support will be provided as and when needed subject to availability of stakeholders.
This is where early notification is extremely important, the earlier the stakeholders can be notified, the more chances of arranging out of hours support.
Frimley Park Hospital will be providing guaranteed out of hours support every Saturday, Sunday and Bank Holiday (excluding Christmas Day and Good Friday) between the hours of XX and XX.
Why do I need to update my details with my GP?
Although not mandatory, we strongly recommend you update your details to provide them with your ethnicity and religion.
Data is a significant factor when discussing the needs of communities and asking for change. If we do not have the data to support our conversations as a community, then chances of change are minimal.
My funeral association has asked for my GP details, why?
Funeral associations have been encouraged to record GP details for their members.
This is to support the speedy engagement with GPs and Medical Examiner services in obtaining the necessary paperwork.
Providing these details will allow the associations to support you and your loved ones when death occurs.
I do not live in Surrey, what is happening in my area.
If you live outside of Surrey, it is recommended to contact your regional lead at the National Burial Council who may be able to provide further information.
Alternatively, if you belong to a funeral association or have a local mosque, you can contact them for an update.