Medical Examiners
The Act amends the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 in England and Wales to set out a power for English and Welsh NHS bodies to appoint Medical Examiners. A duty is also imposed upon the Secretary of State and Welsh Ministers to ensure that enough medical examiners are appointed in the healthcare system in England and Wales respectively, that enough funds and resources are made available to medical examiners to enable them to carry out their functions of scrutiny to identify and deter poor practice, and to ensure that their performance is monitored.
	The purpose of the amendment is to enable the introduction of a statutory scheme of medical examiners within the NHS rather than Local Authorities in England, and a range of Welsh NHS bodies rather than only local health boards in Wales. It is intended that, following a death that is not being referred to a coroner, medical examiners, who will be registered medical practitioners, will scrutinise the cause of death stated by the attending medical practitioner on the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death and hold discussions with families.
	Medical examiners will introduce an additional level of scrutiny to those deaths not reviewed by a coroner, improve engagement with the bereaved in the process of death certification and offer them an opportunity to raise any concerns as well as improving the quality and accuracy of Medical Certificates of Cause of Death. Independent scrutiny of deaths will reduce the potential for malpractice by doctors to go unchecked. The level of scrutiny will be proportionate so as not to impose undue delays on the bereaved or undue burdens on medical practitioners and others involved in the process.