The Death Certification Reforms which came into effect on 9th September 2024 changed how deaths are dealt with.  

Upon receipt of referral where the death did not occur in custody or state detention the Coroner may decide without commencing an investigation that it was natural.  The Coroner will therefore send relevant information pertaining to the death along with a form CN1A to the Attending Practitioner copying in the Medical Examiner's office which marks the end of the Coroner's involvement.  The Coroner will state that based on the information available they do not consider their duty under Section 1 of the Coroner’s and Justice Act 2009 to be engaged as the death appears to be one of natural causes.  You will always receive a phone call from a Coroner's Officer explaining that the death has been referred for medical certification.  

The Attending Practitioner must then refer the patient's death to the Medical Examiner's office.  The Medical Examiner will scrutinise the medical records and speak with families before agreeing upon an appropriate cause of death for the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD).  Once completed the MCCD will be sent electronically to the Registrars at City Hall, Sunderland and relatives will be informed that an appointment can be made to register the death.  

If you have any queries about a death certificate where there is no Coroner investigation, please contact the Medical Examiner's Office for South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust by calling 0191 2024006.