Frequently Asked Questions
Question List:
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What do I do if someone dies suddenly?
Contact your G.P or the local police.
The Coroner’s Officer will arrange for a local Funeral Director to attend to move the deceased. In most cases the deceased's own doctor or a hospital doctor will be able to give a medical cause of death. If the death occurs at night or at a weekend there may be a delay in contacting the deceased’s GP.
Once the Coroner’s involvement has ceased you are
not obliged to retain the services of the Funeral Director, appointed by the Coroner, to organise the funeral unless you wish to do so.
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Why Does A Coroner Get Involved?
HM Coroner for Milton Keynes has developed a list of cases for referal of deaths, and distributed it to registrars, doctors, and other relevant parties in the local area. The list is as follows:
- The cause of death is unknown
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- It cannot readily be certified as being due to natural causes
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- The deceased was not attended by the doctor during their last illness or was not seen within the last 14 days or viewed after death
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- There are any suspicious circumstances or history of violence
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- The death may be linked to an accident (whenever it occurred)
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- There is a question of self-neglect or neglect by others
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- The death has occurred or the illness arose during or shortly after detention in police custody (including voluntary attendance at a police station)
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- The deceased was detained under the Mental Health Act
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- The death is linked with an abortion
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- The death might have been contributed to by the actions of the deceased (such as a history of drug or solvent abuse, self injury or overdose)
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- The death could be due to industrial disease or related in any way to the deceased's employment
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- The death occurred during an operation or before full recovery from the affects of an anaesthetic or was in any way related to the anaesthetic (in any event of a death within 24 hours should normally be referred)
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- The death may be related to a medical procedure or treatment whether invasive or not
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- The death may be due to lack of medical care
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- There are any other unusual or disturbing features to the case
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- The death occured within 24 hours of admission to hospital
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- It may be wise to report any death where there is an allegation of medical mismanagement
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- Any maternal death relating to pregnancy or childbirth
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This list is for guidance only, it is not exhaustive and in part may represent desired local practice rather than the statuary requirements. If in any doubt contact
the HM Coroner's Office for further advice.
The Coroner will consult with the deceased’s GP, who will advise whether they are satisfied with the cause of death. If the GP is satisfied, the coroner will then cease to be involved and will issue the certificate, enabling the family to
register the death as normal.
The doctor is not legally allowed to sign the death certificate if they have not seen the patient within 14 days prior to death, even if they are satisfied with the cause of death: the coroner must be consulted.
Medical certificates issued by the attending doctor carry a list of the type of cases that the doctors should report to the Coroner. If the death comes within any of these categories, the usual practice is for the doctor to inform the coroner directly, before anyone has gone to register the death.
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Who Can Inform The Coroner?
Normally the doctor reports the death to the coroner or police. However, anyone who is uneasy about the apparent cause of death has the right to inform the Coroner for the district. You can get in touch by telephoning the local police station (01908 686000) and asking for the Coroner’s officer.
The Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages may decide when they get the doctor’s medical certificate that, because of the cause or circumstances of the death, they need to report the death directly to the Coroner. In these cases, there will be a delay before the death can be registered, which may impede the funeral arrangements.
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What happens if I wish to move the body of the deceased out of England and Wales?
The Coroner must give permission (an "Out of England Order") for a body to be moved out of England or Wales. This permission has to be obtained at least four days before the body is to be moved (although the Coroner will usually be able to give permission sooner) so that any necessary enquiries may be carried out. The Funeral Director will make all the necessary arrangements.
Permission must be obtained whenever the funeral is to take place outside England or Wales.
This procedure applies in all cases where the body is to be moved out of England or Wales, not just where a death was reported to the Coroner.
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When will the Coroner order a post-mortem?
When the cause of death is unknown or death occurs unexpectedly or suddenly, the Coroner will order a post-mortem
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Can I have a copy of the post-mortem report?
The Coroner will usually supply a copy of the report to
"properly interested" persons (immediate family, legal representatives of involved in the inquest) on application. The Coroner’s Officer will usually explain the main points of the report to the family as soon as it is available. Your G.P. will be able to answer questions in more detail.
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Who Are 'Properly Interested Persons'?
They are the people who have a right to participate in the Inquest, by receiving copy statements and asking questions at the hearing and are known as Properly Interested Persons.
The Coroners Rules 1984 (Rule 20) sets out a list of who falls within this definition.
The Coroners Rules 1984
The Coroners Act 1988
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What must I do if I think I have found Treasure?
The Treasure Act 1996 requires a person finding an object which he/she has grounds to believe to be Treasure to report the find to
the Coroner within 14 days. Failure to do so is a criminal offence. Treasure is defined by the Act itself. For further information consult
the Treasure page on this site.
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Can I get legal aid to be represented at an inquest?
Legal aid is not
normally available to cover representation at the inquest. However, legal advice under the "Green Form" scheme may be obtained by those whose means are within the qualifying limits.
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Can I appeal against the Coroner's verdict?
It is sometimes possible to challenge the verdict of the Inquest by way of an application to the High Court for a judicial review. You should take legal advice about such a course of action as soon as possible after the Coroner has made a decision.
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