11.00
Jacquie Bugeja, Head of Registration, to give a verbal update on reform of the process of death certification in England and Wales. This item will be scrutinised in more detail at the next meeting of the committee, following the release of the formal consultation paper
Jacquie Bugeja and Sue Scane to give a verbal update on arrangements for repatriation at Brize Norton.
The committee are invited to comment.
Minutes:
Jacquie Bugeja reported on:
Death Certificate Reforms
The Department of Health is working with a wide range of organisations and groups to reform the process of death certification. These reforms will introduce a unified system of scrutiny by independent medical examiners of all deaths in England and Wales which do not require investigation by a coroner. The reforms are part of the Government’s response to the Shipman Inquiry and aim to strengthen safeguards for the public, make the process of death certification simpler, more open to the bereaved and improve the quality of mortality data.
The Government is proposing to fund scrutiny by medical examiners on a cost-recovery basis through a statutory fee chargeable for all deaths that are not investigated by a coroner. This statutory fee, collected locally, would replace the existing fee charged by doctors for the completion of cremation forms which will be removed by the new process.
The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 made it a duty for Primary Care Trusts to: appoint medical examiners for their area; establish a local medical examiners service; make arrangements to collect the proposed statutory fee; and, ensure required service standards and performance levels are achieved. The new architecture of the NHS, announced in October 2010, led to a ministerial decision to transfer these responsibilities to upper-tier local authorities through a provision in the Health and Social Care Bill. This decision was based on the need to maintain local control and independence and the belief that these essential criteria could not be met in any other way.
The new process has been tested in death certification pilots in Sheffield, Gloucestershire, Powys, Mid-Essex, Brighton and Hove, Leicester and inner North London.
The pilot work suggests that an area with 5000 deaths per year would probably require a team of 7 part-time medical examiners supported by 3 full-time medical examiner’s officers. The cost of providing the services will be recovered from the proposed statutory fee. Work is currently being carried out – with input from local authority representatives – to ensure that the level of fee set, considers the costs of alternative models and other local considerations.
The Death Certification Regulations are expected to be published for consultation in October 2011 and, subject to the Bill’s Parliamentary passage, will be laid before Parliament in May/June 2012 with a commencement date of April 2013. The extended period between introduction and commencement is intended to provide time for local authorities to establish a local medical examiner’s service for their area. The Department of Health will assist local authorities by providing a suggested outline of preparatory activities and access to national and regional support.
It was agreed that a further update would be presented to the next meeting of the committee in November.
Coroner’s Service Readiness for Repatriation
Legal responsibilities of the Coroner were outlined, and Jacquie Bugeja assured the Committee that the service was in good shape to cope with the additional work. She added that the majority of the costs would be met by the Ministry of Justice.
The family room which would be used when the Coroner’s Court was in session was being refurbished.
Sue Scane, Assistant Chief Executive reported on:
Repatriation Preparation
Sue Scane referred to the ‘Wooton Bassett effect’ in that families, friends and members of the public expected to be able to pay their respects.
In light of this, an Events Advisory Group was set up to consider and resolve issues of family facilities, public safety, media support, traffic management and wider events management.
Sue Scane explained that the agreed route provides the ability to close the road between two roundabouts near RAF Brize Norton.