DEATH AT HOME
Confirm death – Pupils fixed and dilated, no pulse, absent heart rate and breath sounds for one minute (important to do this for a full minute)
Record in notes (in surgery) – death verification, time and date of death
Obtain information- mode of death (exhaustion, etc) and who was present at time of death (Will need this info to complete cremation form).
Inform relatives of what happens next
IF PATIENT WAS SEEN BY YOU WITHIN PRECEDING 14 DAYS & FROM YOUR KNOWLEDGE, YOU ARE CONFIDENT TO BE ABLE TO COMPLETE THE DEATH CERTIFICATE,
1. Inform the relatives they can contact an undertaker
2. Issue certificate at appropriate opportunity
3. If for cremation, complete form B (more info on filling the forms can be found at http://www.dca.gov.uk/corbur/cremation_forms_guidance.pdf)
4. If for cremation, arrange for another doctor (unknown to patient ) to complete form C
5. Check if Pacemaker in situ. This needs to be removed by you or (usually) the undertaker
IF PATIENT WAS NOT SEEN BY YOU WITHIN PRECEDING 14 DAYS,
1. Establish if seen by another doctor. If so, contact them to see if they are happy to issue certificate
2. If not seen by another doctor or if the other doctor is unable to complete certificate, need to contact coroner’s office
3. The coroner may discuss circumstances with you and allow you to issue certificate
4. If the coroner does not feel it is possible to issue a certificate they will contact a police officer to to attend the scene and a PM may be necessary. The coroner will then issue the certificate
IF PATIENT WAS SEEN BY YOU WITHIN PRECEDING 14 DAYS BUT IT IS NOT POSSIBLE TO ISSUE A CERTIFICATE (circumstances in which death has to be reported to the coroner’s office),
1. Contact coroner’s office and discuss all relevant facts
2. The coroner may then request a police officer to attend the scene and a PM may be necessary.
3. If out of hours and coroner’s officer not available there is a designated police officer to deal with this matter
(Source : East Midlands deanery palliative care GP Registrar Handbook)
