The new Medical Examiner Regime – what does it mean for funerals? 

Freeman Brothers has been arranging funerals in Sussex since 1855 and our caring, professional teams in Horsham, Billingshurst, Crawley, and Hurstpierpoint are here to help bereaved people navigate the decisions they have to make and the formalities they have to complete in arranging a funeral. Abi Pattenden, Freeman Brothers’ Manager, gives an update on one of the biggest changes to happen to funeral processes for many years – the incoming Medical Examiner Regime. 

If you have been bereaved in the last few years, you may or may not have experienced the death being referred to the Medical Examiner, as different areas have been trialling parts of the system in various ways for several years- for example, some deaths in East Sussex hospitals were going through a trial as long ago as 2011. However, with the statutory introduction of the system taking place on 9^th September, we now know more about what will be happening and the changes we will see. In essence, it means that all deaths where a doctor is able to give a cause of death will have their Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) scrutinised before the death is registered. 

The aims of the new Medical Examiner regime are positive:  

• To give reassurance to bereaved people around the cause of death of the person who has died; 

• To prevent deaths being referred to a Coroner where this is not necessary; 

• To improve the accuracy and quality of information on the MCCD (this is not only of benefit to bereaved people but also society generally, as it will inform policymaking on health). 

An additional benefit is the removal of ‘cremation papers’ completed by a doctor, required for the cremation of anyone whose death was not investigated by the Coroner- this paperwork carries a charge of £82.00 and so this should be a small reduction in the overall cost of a cremation funeral. 

When will this change be implemented? 

Everyone who dies after 9^th September 2024 will have their deaths referred to the Medical Examiner for their area. Because paperwork is changing, but some people who die before 9^th will not be able to have their death registered or their funeral arranged until after this date, there is likely to be a crossover period where some deceased people will have a combination of paperwork from the ‘old’ and ‘new’ systems. We have been assured that this will not disrupt funerals and are working with partners across the system to ensure that everything is managed as efficiently as possible. 

What changes will I see? 

As a bereaved person, you will probably not notice many changes to the paperwork, unless you have another relatively recent experience of arranging a funeral to compare it to. However, others who are involved in the process will see changes, and these are: 

• Medical Examiners will have all deaths referred to them, while until now they may only be dealing with some of them on a trial basis. 

• MCCDs completed by doctors will contain some different information (and doctors will be able to complete them for anyone they have ever treated, instead of only someone who they have been looking for in their last illness), so Registrars will need to become familiar with these new forms. Doctors will send MCCDs to the Medical Examiner rather than the Registrar. Doctors will no longer need to complete Cremation 4 when someone they have treated is cremated. 

• Registrars will receive these different MCCDs from the Medical Examiner rather than the doctor. The Certificate for Burial or Cremation (also called a Green Form) they issue after registration will be different too. 

• Funeral Directors receive the Green Form, so this will look different to them, and the paperwork they assist with completing will change, especially for cremations. 

• Crematorium staff will have to get used to new cremation paperwork and- together with anyone who manages burials- the new Green Form. 

Is there anything else I need to know? 

Many of the processes which are altered by this new regime are ‘behind the scenes’ and so someone arranging a funeral should not find that their experience is much altered other than having the opportunity to discuss the death with an independent person who was not involved in the care of the person who has died. 

However, there are concerns that there may be delays during the implementation of the system, in early to mid-September, as the Medical Examiners adjust to the change in their workload and all of the various parties become familiar with the new paperwork they have to complete. Many people will have been used to the forms in their previous state for many years and so getting used to the changes will take time. 

You can rest assured that, as always, Freeman Brothers’ teams will work tirelessly to give you all the help and advice you need to arrange the funeral, and manage this new procedure on your behalf to prevent delays and ensure a smooth and painless service.