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Deaths referred to Coroner

A death is reported to a Coroner in the following situations:​

  • a doctor did not treat the person during their last illness

  • the deceased wasn't on end of life care

  • the cause of death was sudden, violent or unnatural such as an accident, or suicide

  • the cause of death was murder

  • the cause of death was an industrial disease of the lungs such as asbestosis

  • the death occurred in any other circumstances that may require investigation

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A death in hospital should be reported if:

  • there is a question of negligence or misadventure about the treatment of the person who died

  • they died before a provisional diagnosis was made and the general practitioner is not willing to certify the cause

  • the patient died as the result of the administration of an anaesthetic

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A death should be reported to a Coroner by the police, when:

  • a dead body is found

  • death is unexpected or unexplained

  • a death occurs in suspicious circumstances

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A death should be reported by the Governor of a prison immediately following the death of a prisoner no matter what the cause of death is.

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What happens after a death is reported to the Coroner?

A Coroner will first gather information to investigate whether a death was due to natural causes

and if a doctor can certify the medical cause of death.​

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The Coroner will ask the police to gather the information about the death. This will usually include speaking to the family of the deceased, anyone who was caring for the deceased and anyonewho was there when the death happened.​

 

If the reason why a Doctor cannot certify the death is because the deceased was not on end of life care,  then the Coroner will discuss the cause of death with the doctor. If a Coroner is satisfied that death was from natural causes and no further investigation is necessary, then they may accept the medical cause of death that a doctor gives and issue a Coroner's notification to allow the death to be registered.

 

​If a Doctor cannot certify the medical cause of death then a Coroner will investigate the death and may order a post-mortem examination to be carried out.​

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