The Medical Examiner Service
A Practical Guide for England and Wales

This book provides a practical guide for all those working in or with Medical Examiner Services in England and Wales. It is an adjunct to the e-learning and face-to-face training required to fulfil the Medical Examiner and Medical Examiner Officer roles.

Medical Examiner Services also work closely with a wide range of stakeholders including bereavement and mortuary teams, Coroners and their Officers, Registrars, Funeral Directors and those working in clinical governance and patient safety. This book provides an essential overview of all aspects of the Medical Examiner system for anyone working in these areas, or in any aspect of the support and management of the deceased and bereaved.

• A concise guide including the knowledge base required to develop and run a Medical Examiner Service
• Content is completely aligned with required training
• Written by those with direct experience of establishing and working with Medical Examiner Services
• Relevant to a wide range of stakeholders who work with patients and the bereaved

Background to the Medical Examiner Service in England & Wales. The Medical Examiner Service in England & Wales: Structure. The Role of the Regional Medical Examiner and Regional Medical Examiner Officer. The Role of the Medical Examiner. The Role of the Medical Examiner Officer. Completing a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death. Basics of Law for Medical Examiners & Medical Examiner Officers. Role of the Bereavement Service. The Role of the Registration Officer (Registrar). Role of the Coroner. Medical Examiner Service and its Relationship with Mortality Governance. The Medical Examiner Service in the Community. The Medical Examiner Service and Child Death Reviews. Law & Procedures Related to Burial & Cremation. Faith Implications of the Medical Examiner System. The Role of the Funeral Director. The Role of the Mortuary. The Medical Reviewer System in Scotland.

Jason Payne-James (co-editor) Lead Medical Examiner, Norfolk & Norwich Hospitals University Trust Specialist in Forensic & Legal Medicine Past-President, Faculty of Forensic & Legal Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians Honorary Clinical Professor, William Harvey Research Institute, Queen Mary University of London

Suzy Lishman (co-editor) Lead Medical Examiner, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust Consultant Histopathologist, North West Anglia NHS Foundation Trust Chair – Medical Examiners’ Committee – Royal College of Pathologists Past-President, Royal College of Pathologists Author – RCPath – Cause of Death List