Care provided after death:
Trust Governance Departments/Teams have various responsibilities after the death of a patient. They coordinate investigations and complaints around the circumstances of specific deaths and facilitate contact between the Coroners/Courts Service and Trusts when inquests/external investigations take place. In addition all in-patient deaths are reviewed at mortality/morbidity meetings by multi-disciplinary teams to inform safeguard practice and identify learning. Responsibilities include:
- Securing medical records
- Obtaining statements from staff
- Meeting with families following internal investigations and preparing reports for them
- Arranging expert medical and legal advice for Trust if required
- Supporting staff through an inquest/ investigation process
- Acting as a communication link between Trust staff and other agencies, eg Coroners Service, State Pathologists Department, Directorate of Legal Services and the Police Service of NI
- Informing Trust Medical Director and Corporate Communications Department of cases which may require a Trust response to the media
- Appraising relevant Trust managers of Coroner’s/Court findings
- Ensuring that learning identified during Coroner’s/Court proceedings is disseminated to relevant service group governance and quality managers
Works alongside:
- Health & Social Care Professionals
- Coroners Service, Northern Ireland
- Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI)
- Directorate of Legal Services
- State Pathologist’s Department
- Professional and staff side Organisations
The Standard of Bereavement Care is enhanced when:
- Procedures are in place that ensure families have their questions/complaints regarding the death of a loved one addressed by the care team in a timely manner
- Families are informed of the requirement to report certain deaths to the Coroner, and that he may request statements and order a post-mortem examination and possibly an inquest
- PSNI, acting as Coroners Officers, approach sudden hospital death sensitively, communicating effectively with healthcare professionals and families to explain and fulfil the requirements of their role
- Effective and timely two way communication between Coroners service and Trusts takes place
- Relevant Trust staff are aware of their responsibilities and provide detailed meaningful statements when required by Governance Department
Standards and Guidelines:
- Coroner’s Act, 1959
- Coroners Service guidance and publications accessible from: http://www.courtsni.gov.uk/en-GB/Services/Coroners/publications/Pages/coroners_Publications.aspx
- ‘Guidance on Death, Stillbirth & Cremation Certification’ Ref 20/2008, August 2008 DHSSPS.
- HSC Trust policies and procedures in relation to complaints, serious adverse incidents, care after death, bereavement (hyperlink to trust websites)