Registration FAQs

For information about registering a death in England and Wales, visit
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Registeringlifeevents

Multi Faith Centre at the Games Village

An Anglican priest  was seconded to LOCOG as head of Faith Services
bringing together representatives of the UK's religions. With a prayer room
at every venue plus a large multi faith centre at the
Olympic Village, the Faith Services team catered to the
observations of athletes, spectators and officials. Read
more at www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-17515410

Death Certification changes likely from April 2014

The British Department of Health is working with a range of
organisations to simplify and strengthen the process of death
certification. Proposals are that certified causes of
deaths which are not investigated by a coroner are
independently scrutinised by a locally
appointed medical examiner. 
Visit  http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/2012/09/death-certification-issue1/
for more information.

Dark Tourism

The University of Central Lancashire has launched an academic centre to explore why people visit macabre destinations around the world.  Dark Tourism is travel associated with death, tragedy amd disaster.  The centre hopes to become a global centre for research to offer guidance to managers of macabre attractions.  For more information, visit http://www.uclan.ac.uk/news/launch_world_first_academic_centre_for_dark_tourism_research.php

Appointment of the Chief Coroner
The Lord Chief Justice, following consultation with the Lord Chancellor, has announced that His Honour Judge Peter Thornton QC is to become the first Chief Coroner of England and Wales when he takes up his post in September 2012.    HHJ Thornton is currently a Senior Circuit Judge at the Central Criminal Court (the Old Bailey).  For more information, visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-18156598

Missing presumed dead

Following a Justice Committee inquiry,  MPs suggest  that the Ministry of Justice legislates for a single certificate in England and Wales declaring someone "missing presumed dead".     Read more at   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-17114868  

New links to locate local register offices

New links to find the local register office to register a death in England and Wales:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/Governmentcitizensandrights/Registeringlifeevents/index.htm

or visit    http://maps.direct.gov.uk/LDGRedirect/MapAction.do?ref=grolight

Death unexplained

 A three part BBC documentary with HM Coroner for West London and her team  .  Read more at  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/9064605/Death-Unexplained-BBC-One-a-coroners-verdict.html

Forensic entymology

Forensic entymology is a surprising aspect of  the work behind the scenes at London's Natural History  Museum.   Visit  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16577371 for a potted version of  research which helps police establish the time of death when there are no other factors to provide this important  information.   

Post mortem imaging study

A summary of the results of a study into the accuracy of post mortem imaging as an alternative to autopsy were published in  world renowned medical journal The Lancet .  Visit http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(11)61483-9/abstract  to read the summary.