Medical Examiner (ME) update – Rapid release of deceased pathway and key messages for sending referrals to ME

The medical examiner (ME) team offers an out-of-hours service for urgent releases on Saturdays and Sundays between 9am and 1pm, for deceased patients that require urgent burial and/or tissue or organ donation. Further guidance is available in the out of hours pathway protocol. 

Key messages and tips when sending medical examiner referrals: 

To support timely processing and reduce the need for follow-up queries, please ensure medical examiner referrals are checked carefully before submission. The following points may be helpful as a quick checklist for practices: 

• Avoid abbreviations on the MCCD - Please write out terms clearly on the medical certificate of cause of death, as abbreviations can cause confusion or delay review. 
• Medical terminology - Please ensure all medical terms are spelt correctly, as errors may require clarification and can delay progression. 
• Submit referrals as soon as possible - Please avoid late referrals wherever possible. We continue to see referrals being submitted several days after the patient has died, including some significantly delayed cases. The completed referral should be sent via e-RS (Specialty & Clinic Type: Medical Examiner Office; Service Name: Medical Examiner Officers RAS Triage service-Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust) together with the MCCD. The referral form can be found on DXS / Frimley Health and Care / Medical Examiner folder, or search for ME, medical examiner, death. 
• If a GP wishes to discuss a case before submitting, please contact the ME offices for advice 
• Please can the GP provide their mobile number in the referral so that contact can be made directly with them should the ME have any queries to discuss/ 
• Provide accurate next of kin details - including up-to-date contact details, where available. 
• Check contact details before submission - Please avoid providing incomplete, incorrect, or inappropriate contact details, such as numbers belonging to a deceased 
• Review the referral before sending - A final check before submission can help ensure all required information is accurate and complete, reducing the need for follow-up and avoiding delays. 

If you experience any issues with the system or in completing the form, please contact the ME team via the contact details below. For clinical queries, please contact the respective ME office and the team will liaise with the ME on duty as necessary. 

Thank you for your ongoing support