Warning over death certification system

MPS response to recent consultation

Concerns have been raised by MPS over the Scottish Government’s proposals to improve the system of death certification. We recently responded to the consultation “Death Certification, Burials and Cremation”, which revealed the government’s preference for a model of medical investigator over medical examiner – the latter being in the pipeline for England and Wales.

An apparent – and significant – weakness of the investigator model is that it will employ far fewer doctors and administrative staff to scrutinise death certification than is needed both in the current system and the model planned for England and Wales.

Although the need to balance value for money with a robust system is understandable, MPS is of the opinion that the model in its currently proposed form will not be sufficiently resourced to do the job properly and would neither attract the support of the medical profession, nor win the confidence of the public.