Abstract
The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 includes provisions for reform of the certification of death and the introduction of “Medical Examiners”, who will scrutinise the certification of every death that is not referred to the Coroner for investigation. When these changes are implemented, Coroners and Medical Examiners will have to work closely together. But the boundaries between the two roles are not perfectly defined. Will they work together in synergy, or will they interact unwillingly and abrasively? It is clear which approach will be best for the bereaved and for society, but it is less clear what will actually happen. Medical Examiners will be led by a new Chief Medical Examiner, and Coroners will have a Chief Coroner. But these individuals will have limited powers to oblige Coroners and Medical Examiners to collaborate. It seems inevitable that there will be large variations in practice, at least initially.
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