GP practices are advised to ensure they receive new medical certificates of cause of death (MCCDs) from DHSC in July.
You must check your practice is on the MCCD distribution list and, if not, you need to contact DHSC no later than 15 July 2024.
Reforms to death certification, including the statutory medical examiner system, will start on 9 September 2024.
All medical practitioners must use the new MCCD from 9 September 2024.
You will not be able to order the new MCCD from local registration services.
DHSC’s information explains how healthcare providers, including GP practices, will receive the new MCCD. If you are not on the list, contact the DHSC email address.
Full details on the reforms are summarised in the NHS England National Medical Examiner Update for June.
There is also a dedicated section on the patient safety insight part of the NHS England website which collates all the published resources.
Full details on the reforms are here.
It is really important for deputy place leads and associate medical directors to continue to work with their local medical examiner office in preparation for the September launch, and for GP practices to be engaging with the pilots happening across the localities.
If you are not already doing so, we strongly advise you contact the lead Medical Examiner in your area in the first instance.
Contact details for Medical Examiners:
