Coroner / Postmortem Decision Point
Determine if coroner or medical examiner involvement is required. When ambulance staff arrive, they will try resuscitation or else will confirm that the individual has died.
Doctor’s paperwork and coroner
Expected Death
☐ If an expected death, the GP or hospital doctor issues the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).
☐ The Medical Certificate of Cause of Death is for the purposes of registering the death only.
☐ The doctor will email the medical certificate to the registry office in the borough the person died in.
Unexpected Death
☐ When a death is unexpected the police will also be informed, who will come to the house and will arrange for the body to be moved on behalf of the coroner for further investigations and possible post mortem examination.
☐When an unexpected hospital death occurs or a DNR was in place, families often worry whether a coroner will be involved.Before the death
☐ If the cause of death is unclear or sudden, the doctor must refer the case to the coroner. When a death is reported to the coroner’s office, the coroner will consider the information and:
- Give the GP permission to issue a Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and then take no further action.
- Order a postmortem examination. Depending on the results of the postmortem the coroner will:
- Find the death natural and close the case. No post-mortem. (Pink Form – form 100B).
- Open an investigation, where further information from doctors or others involved will be obtained.
- Open an inquest, a fact-finding court hearing about the circumstances of death.
- Open an inquest without a postmortem examination.
- Full invasive post-mortem if required by law (family cannot refuse).
- Request a non-invasive post-mortem MRI scan as an alternative to surgical autopsy if acceptable to the coroner. MRI scan (non-invasive) — often available on request and acceptable in Islam.
Once cause of death is confirmed, the coroner or doctor will release paperwork for registration. You will not be able to register the death until the coroner has confirmed the cause of death and is satisfied that there is no criminal act, this may cause a delay in the funeral.
Other Coroner’s forms:
- Form 100A: Doctor informs coroner; coroner allows doctor to issue certificate.
- Form 101: Coroner authorises burial after inquest or investigation.
- Form 99 (rev): Certificate after inquest, confirming cause of death.
MRI / CT scan (Non-Invasive Postmortem) Path
☐ Submit request for MRI/CT to coroner.
☐ Arrange transport to imaging centre.
☐ Consultant Radiologist performs and reviews scans.
☐ If cause of death confirmed → proceed to burial.
☐ If inconclusive → coroner may order limited or full autopsy.