Death certif icate U-turn that could let next Shipman slip through net
PLANS for a nationwide network of doctors to check death certificates are being watered down – raising fears that another Harold Shipman could slip through the net.
The notorious GP, thought to be Britain’s worst mass murderer, was able to kill about 250 patients by lethal injection because he was permitted to sign his patients’ death certificates unchecked.
Shipman was finally brought to justice after it was noticed his single-handed medical practice in Hyde, Manchester, had a death rate nearly ten times higher than those of neighbouring surgeries. But the medical profession, coroners and police did not spot the gruesome statistic – undertakers did.
When Shipman’s crimes came to light, plans were drawn up to introduce a new tier of supervision, with a special class of doctor – called a medical examiner – scrutinising death certificates for suspicious patterns.
Until recently, councils were being told they would have to employ medical examiners, who would look at deaths wherever they occurred – in hospitals, care homes and the community.
But the Government is set to announce a more limited service, with medical examiners employed by NHS trusts and responsible only for investigating deaths in hospitals. They are to start work in April next year.
A source told the Health Service Journal: ‘We have to accept what will be introduced from next April has an element of watering down compared to the original plan.’ A recent letter from Donna Sharp, of the Local Government Association, hinted at the medical examiners’ narrower remit.
She wrote: ‘While there remains a commitment to introduce medical examiners by April 2019, we understand that alternative options to host the medical examiner service are being explored and until there is more certainty about the plans and timescales for implementation, it would seem sensible for councils not to invest any further resource at this stage.’ The association was ‘advising local authorities to pause in their local preparation’.
Professor Jo Martin, president of the Royal College of Pathologists, which has been heavily involved in planning the network, said: ‘ We understand there are discussions taking place which may see medical examiners based in the NHS.
‘There is a real commitment and eagerness to make sure this vital patient safety initiative is implemented and many trusts are already taking steps to make this happen.’
Peter Wagstaff, 69, from Hyde, whose mother Kathleen was murdered by Shipman, said: ‘If we are going to water this system down, is it going to be fit for purpose?’
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care would say only that the Government was ‘fully committed’ to introducing medical examiners by April 2019.