Support for doctors when certifying a death

Before you can issue an medical cause of death certificate (MCCD) without seeing the body after death, you must have seen the patient, in-person or by video link, during the last 28 days of their life. 

If you have been taking care of a patient but had not seen them within the last 28 days of life, you must see the body in person after death.

If you have not been taking care of the patient

Where you have not taken care of a patient, attempts should be made to identify another doctor that did take care of the patient during their last illness. Every effort must to taken to avoid referring a death to the Coroner as an uncertified death.

Where to send the MCCD

Please send the following information to deathsupport@haringey.gov.uk:

• the MCCD
• your printed name
• your GMC number
• any other paperwork

Please do not give any of this information to informants or family members.

Register a death in Haringey

We can only register deaths that have occurred in Haringey. This does not include the North Middlesex Hospital and Whittington Hospital.

We can only register a death if a satisfactory MCCD has been completed, or if the Coroner has issued the necessary paperwork.

Refer a death to the medical examiner

Upcoming changes mean that doctors should also refer community deaths to the medical examiner, as a statutory requirement. Please begin referring community deaths to the medical examiner to ensure a smooth implementation of the process. This new process is planned to start on 9 September 2024.

The new style MCCDs cannot be used to certify deaths until 9 September 2024 and the previous style of MCCD cannot be used to certify deaths after 8 September 2024. Please only use the new MCCD’s to certify a death from 9 September 2024 onwards as they cannot be accepted at the register office before this date.

MCCD guidance

• Receiving the new medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD)

• Death Certification Reforms Legislation

Rebecca Gillibrand is the lead medical examiner for Haringey. You can send enquiries to northmid.medicalexaminer@nhs.net.

Referring a death to the Coroner

If a coroners referral is required, the Coroner will need a:

• patient summary
• copy of the MCCD, if you are able to complete a MCCD
• completed GP Referral Form 1 or Hospital Referral Form 1

If urgent action is required mark the email 'urgent' and explain why it is urgent. Referrals should be made by email to admin.beh@hmc-northlondon.co.uk.

Please advise the next of kin that they will need to wait for the coroner to contact them, usually within 24 hours, before they can register the death.

Form 1

You can access Form 1 is through the EMIS system. If you are having issues accessing a Form 1, please contact your Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).

Where to send your enquiry

There are 3 different departments who deal with deaths in Haringey. They are:

• Haringey Register Office
• Haringey Bereavement Service
• The North London Coroner's Service

Please direct any enquires to the relevant department.

National processes and guidance

You can read:

• further information on certification processes on the NHS website
• guidance on completing a MCCD on GOV.UK
• more about The Notification of Deaths Regulations 2019 at GOV.UK