This is an independent service provided in England and Wales to review all deaths that are not reported to the Coroner, to improve the quality of the information on death certificates and ensure bereaved families are at the centre of the process.
Who are Medical Examiners?
Medical Examiners (MEs) are senior NHS doctors and GPs who have chosen to carry out specialist training. They spend some of their time working as MEs.
What do Medical Examiners do?
MEs look at the relevant medical records of people who have died to understand the circumstances around the cause of death. They talk to the doctor who cared for them and will be filling in the certificate with the cause(s) of death.
They and their staff (Medical Examiner Officers) are independent. They will only look at cases where they, or their staff, have not been involved in caring for the patient.
MEs and their staff speak to families/ carers of the person who has died to talk about the cause (s) of death. They can explain the medical language and make it easier to understand. They also give them the chance to ask questions, talk about any concerns they have about the cause (s) of death or the care the person received before their death.
If there are parts of the care that could have been better, this information will be passed on to the service involved.
What are the benefits of the service?
The Medical Examiner service will:
- Provide a better service for the bereaved by giving them the chance to ask questions and / or raise any concerns to an independent person
- Make sure the Coroner is involved when needed
- Provide greater protection for the public by making sure all deaths are reviewed by an independent doctor
Where can I find further information?
You can read more about the Medical Examiner service on the internet:
https://www.england.nhs.uk/establishing-medical-examiner-system-nhs/
