Medical Examiner service update

Please be advised that as of 9th September 2024, it will be a statutory requirement for all Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCD) to be countersigned by a Medical Examiner before the death can be registered.

Therefore, the MCCD should be sent with the referral. If the Medical Examiner agrees with the cause of death, they will countersign the MCCD. The medical examiner service will then send this to the Registrar of Births and Deaths. If the ME does not agree with the cause of death, we will make contact to discuss.

Downloads and links

For community deaths in Waltham Forest, Newham, Tower Hamlets and the City of London the ME is based in Barts Health  

Medical Examiner Referral – Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Newham and the City of London – North East London (icb.nhs.uk)

For community deaths in Barking and Dagenham, Havering and Redbridge the ME is based in BHRUT

Medical Examiner Referral – Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest, Newham and the City of London – North East London (icb.nhs.uk)

For community deaths in Hackney the ME is based in Homerton Healthcare

For Hackney GPs – Medical Examiner information

For community deaths in boroughs outside NEL Local Authorities such as Islington or Enfield you can find the ME contact details  

NHS England » Contact details for medical examiner offices in England and Wales

To check if your practice is listed as an organisation that will receive the new medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD), which must be used from 9 September 2024, please review the published list:

New MCCD: check that your organisation is on the distribution list – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)