Guide to reportable deaths

This page is for guidance only. It is not exhaustive and if you are in any doubt, you should contact the Coroners Officer for further advice.

If you've got a cause for concern regarding a death then you are entitled to raise these concerns by contacting the Coroners Office.

When a death should be referred to the Coroner

The following regulations on when a death should be referred to the coroner came into effect on 1 October 2019.

A persons death should always be notified to HM Coroner where there is reasonable cause to suspect that the death was due to:

• Poisoning including by a substance that is usually not poisonous.
• Exposure to or contact with a toxic substance.
• The use of a medicinal product, a controlled drug or psychoactive substance.
• Violence, trauma, injury or self-harm.
• Neglect, including self-neglect.
• The person undergoing any treatment or procedure of a medical or similar nature;
• An injury or disease attributable to any employment held by the person during the

person’s lifetime.

• The registered medical practitioner suspects that the person’s death was unnatural,

but does not fall within any of the above circumstances.

• The cause of death is unknown.
• The registered medical practitioner suspects that the person died while in police custody or in state detention
• There is no attending practitioner available to sign the cause of death certificate
• The attending practitioner is not available within a reasonable time of the persons death to sign the cause of death certificate
• The identity of the deceased person is unknown.

Guidance for registered medical practitioners on the Notification of Deaths Regulations

The Office of National Statistics has also issued guidance on the medical terms and definitions to be used and avoided when preparing a Medical Certificate as to Cause of Death.

• Guidance for MCCD completion

This Coroner's Area has also produced a guide to the reporting of stillbirths and neonatal deaths. All documents are available to download from the links below.

• Stillbirths, fetal and neonatal deaths (PDF)

The West Yorkshire Coroner's Office is in the process of moving to all death referrals from medical practitioners being submitted via the portal (details have already been sent to GPs), only in exceptional circumstances should the electronic form on this site be used, as this is currently being phased out. If you do require a reminder in relation to your portal log in details, please email [email protected].

By using this function, you confirm that you are a registered health professional who is authorised to make a coronial referral.

Please note that the portal and referral form have been updated to reflect the changes from 09 September 2024. To refer a death to the Coroner, please complete via the portal or alternatively use the updated referral form GP referral form (Word document, 103kb).

Completed forms should be emailed to [email protected].

If you do need to speak with a Coroners Officer about referring a death, please contact them on 01274 438800 or send an email to [email protected] and they will arrange for someone to call you back.