Death Certificate

This is sometimes included as an OSCE station. The only tricky bit is deciding which diseases go in the 1a/1b/etc. section - this is explained below. Write in capital letters on the forms.

• 1a: Disease/condition that directly led to death (eg. intracerebral haemorrhage)
• 1b: Intermediate cause of death (eg. cerebral metasteses)
• 1c Underlying cause (eg. SCC of L main bronchus)
• 2: Other condition contributing but not related to death (eg. diabetes)

Note that you can not use the "mode" of dying as the cause of death. For example "heart failure" would not be accepted as the cause - there must be an underlying process such as ischaemic heart disease. Although "old age" may be used as a cause of death it should only put down if a more specific cause cannot be identified, and the deceased was 70 or over. If the deceased dies of certain diseases such as mesothelioma then the family might be offered financial compensation. Finally there are instances where it is impossible to complete the certificate without referring to the corononer. This is true in these circumstances: not seen by a doctor after death or within 14 days, death violent or unnatural or suspicious, suicide, accidental, neglect, abortion, industrial death, death in prison, death during operation.

"Ash Cash"

Doctos do not get paid to fill in death certificates, but they do get money for cremation forms, about 60-70 pounds, sometimes referred to (perhaps not very respectfully) as "ash cash." This money comes from the family via the funeral directors.