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Post Mortem examinations are crucially important in informing relatives, clinicians and legal authorities about the cause of death, and in telling bereaved families (who wish to know) about the possibility of acquired and genetic diseases which might need care and treatment. More widely, it is important in improving clinical care, maintaining clinical standards, increasing our knowledge of disease so as to prevent the spread of infections and in supporting clinical research and training.

Family consent is not required for a Coroner’s Post Mortem. However you still have the right to be represented at the post mortem by a medical practitioner, if you so desire. Post mortems will be carried out as soon as possible and usually within two to three working days. As much as possible, consideration will be given to different cultural traditions. The deceased’s family will be informed of the result and a copy of the Post Mortem will be sent to the deceased’s GP and is also available to the family on request. The Donating of Organs for transplant can still go ahead with the Coroner’s permission and if any tissue samples or organs have had to be removed for further investigation, the family will be contacted and ways of disposal discussed and documented.

Post Mortems are usually carried out at St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, but if an independent post mortem is required or there is an infectious disease, a Hospital on the mainland is used. Child Post Mortems are carried out by specialist paediatric pathologists at Southampton General Hospital. Post Mortem examinations are done by Pathologists, who are specially trained Doctors, with help from technical staff. A full post mortem examination involves examination of each of the main body systems including the brain and all the contents of the chest and abdomen.

Until a Post Mortem has taken place, the coroner will not issue a certificate to the ‘Registrar of Deaths’, thus preventing burial or cremation. If for various reasons the family object to a Post Mortem, they can challenge the Coroner’s decision by seeking the opinion of a ‘judge in chambers’ and the Coroner would have to substantiate his reasons. If this approach is unsuccessful the family can apply for a Judicial Review. It would be necessary to demonstrate that the coroner’s decision was a breach of natural justice, i.e. because the grounds for wanting a post mortem were insubstantial or inadequate. In these circumstances relatives should seek the help of a legal adviser.

If the deceased was murdered there will usually be a second Post Mortem carried out at the request of the defence, by an independent Forensic Pathologist. This is allowed as otherwise the accused could allege that the Post Mortem was not carried out properly and the case dismissed, or with the case of the murderer not being caught, to enable the body to be released for a funeral.






Viewing the Body

Relatives can view the body of the deceased at any reasonable time before or after Post Mortem. However, if the body is in a very bad condition, e.g. after drowning or a bomb blast, viewing the body might be highly traumatic and would be discouraged.

Once a Post Mortem has been carried out and the relevant paper work completed, the body will be released and returned to the family. This is still the case if the investigation of death is proceeding to an Inquest