The Coronavirus Act 2020 introduced easements to death certification processes and cremation forms during the global pandemic. It was repealed at midnight on Thursday, 24 March 2022.
Find advice about completing a death certificate on GOV.UK
Guidance for doctors about completing a Medical Certificate Cause of Death (MCCD) and when to report to the Coroner.
The Coronavirus Act 2020 introduced easements to death certification processes and cremation forms during the global pandemic. It was repealed at midnight on Thursday, 24 March 2022.
Find advice about completing a death certificate on GOV.UK
Yes.
You're required to provide a cause of death and issue a death certificate (under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1953) if:
You need to state the cause of death to the best of your knowledge and belief. The doctor who attended for the last illness and completed the MCCD must be the same doctor.
You can issue a death certificate if you're a registered medical practitioner, and you were in attendance during the deceased's last illness, even if this was more than 28 days before their death.
It is preferable that MCCDs are issued whenever possible, to allow families to immediately register their loved ones’ death. This avoids an automatic Coroner’s referral, with the associated potential for distress and delay to families.
To avoid any additional distress to the family of the deceased as a result of the registrar refusing the MCCD we encourage you to view the body of the deceased after death and indicate this on the death certificate by circling statement A.
If a cremation is to take place, the body of the deceased will need to be viewed. Please do not release the death certificate to the family until the body has been viewed.
It does not need to be the deceased's named GP that issues the MCCD - any registered medical practitioner who has attended the deceased during their last illness can issue one.
If the deceased was last seen more than 28 days before their death, we encourage you to view the body of the deceased after death and indicate this on the death certificate by circling statement A.
It is preferable that MCCDs are issued whenever possible, to allow families to immediately register their loved ones’ death. This avoids an automatic Coroner’s referral, with the associated potential for distress and delay to families.
No, do not include any abbreviations on your MCCD.
You should report to the Coroner any death that cannot readily be certified as being due to natural causes.
(A) The registered medical practitioner suspects that the person's death was due to—
(B) The registered medical practitioner suspects that the person's death was unnatural but does not fall within any of the circumstances listed in sub-paragraph (A);
(C) The registered medical practitioner—
(D) The registered medical practitioner suspects that the person died while in custody or otherwise in state detention;
(E) The registered medical practitioner reasonably believes that there is no attending medical practitioner required to sign a certificate of cause of death in relation to the deceased person;
(F) The registered medical practitioner reasonably believes that—
(G) The registered medical practitioner, after taking reasonable steps to ascertain the identity of the deceased person, is unable to do so.
Old age can be used if a more specific cause of death cannot be given, in the absence of any factors that require a Coroner to be informed of the death and the deceased is aged 80 years or over.
The death should be reported to The Coroner's Service if it is believed that the deceased's current or previous employment may have contributed to their death.
Notify the Coroner of the death if you suspect it was due to trauma or injury.
You need to report the death if the deceased:
Contact the local cemeteries office for advice about completing a cremation form.
Follow the following steps (in accordance with the Notification of Deaths guidelines).
You cannot report a death by phone.
Further guidance
Immediately call the Police on 101 if a person died in sudden and unexpected circumstances.
Yes. Call 0345 607 2040, option 1 or email coroners.service@suffolk.gov.uk
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