The role of the medical examiner

In line with recent changes to death certification reforms, Swansea Bay University Health Board is working closely with the Medical Examiner Service. A medical examiner is a senior, independent doctor not involved in the care of the patient, who provides an independent scrutiny of each death, for any patient where a Medical Cause of Death Certificate is going to be issued. This can be either a death in hospital or in the community.

The Medical Examiner Service provides scrutiny of all deaths that occur in Wales that are not referred directly to the coroner for investigation. It aims to improve public safety, ensure death certificates are accurate, as well as avoid unnecessary distress for bereaved persons.

When scrutinising a death, the Medical Examiner Service will review the medical records and consider if there were problems with any of the care provided to the deceased.

The Medical Examiner Service has a team of medical examiner officers, who will contact you in the days following the death of your relative/friend. They will discuss with you the cause of death, and listen to your views on the care provided. They can answer any questions you may have about the cause of death and the circumstances of the death. Any concerns raised by the next of kin or family will be referred to the care provider or the coroner for further investigation if required, this is not something to worry about. If this happens, the medical examiner officer will discuss with you why this may be the case, and you may also need to speak with the coroner’s officers too. The Care After Death team can help you to navigate this process.

Once the Medical Examiner Service has scrutinised the death and the doctor has completed the Medical Certificate Cause of Death, the certificate will be countersigned by the medical examiner and sent electronically to the registrar and you will be able to register the death of your relative/friend.