No abstract

Although the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys states that these should not be accepted by the Registrar of Births and Deaths, they often are. Among their other values, hospital post mortem examinations provide a setting where death certification is discussed and pathologists can instruct clinicians on this subject. The falling necropsyrate, reaching 5% in our hospital, suggests that inaccuracies in death certification will become commoner, increasing the need for formal undergraduate teaching of this subject. Accordingly, we contacted all undergraduate pathology departments in England and Wales and asked them if death certification featured in their curriculum. Most already teach this subject, usually as part of forensic medicine. However, three of 19 respondents indicated that no such teaching was given. With the declining necropsy rate, the opportunities to redress this deficiency will decline. We suggest that all undergraduate pathology departments examine their teaching of death certification and if necessary introduce it, as requested, some years ago by the Registrar General.