This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-30909270
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Death certificate overhaul 'deferred indefinitely' | Death certificate overhaul 'deferred indefinitely' |
| (1 day later) | |
| Independent scrutiny of death certificates has not been delivered as promised, says the chairman of a review sparked by the Harold Shipman murders. | Independent scrutiny of death certificates has not been delivered as promised, says the chairman of a review sparked by the Harold Shipman murders. |
| GP Shipman certificated the deaths of 250 victims without being challenged. | GP Shipman certificated the deaths of 250 victims without being challenged. |
| A review in 2002 led by Tom Luce recommended independent examiners of death certificates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland - a step he now says has been "deferred indefinitely". | A review in 2002 led by Tom Luce recommended independent examiners of death certificates for England, Wales and Northern Ireland - a step he now says has been "deferred indefinitely". |
| The Department of Health insists it is committed to reforming the system. | The Department of Health insists it is committed to reforming the system. |
| The use of medical examiners has been piloted in two areas, but will not be rolled out further until a review has taken place. | The use of medical examiners has been piloted in two areas, but will not be rolled out further until a review has taken place. |
| The Department of Health has confirmed this is unlikely to happen until after the general election. | The Department of Health has confirmed this is unlikely to happen until after the general election. |
| 'Scarcely believable' | 'Scarcely believable' |
| Mr Luce, formerly head of social care policy at the Department of Health, told the BBC: "The government has repeatedly promised to introduce a safer system but has repeatedly failed to do so. | Mr Luce, formerly head of social care policy at the Department of Health, told the BBC: "The government has repeatedly promised to introduce a safer system but has repeatedly failed to do so. |
| "It has now gone back on its undertakings and deferred action indefinitely." | "It has now gone back on its undertakings and deferred action indefinitely." |
| He added that about "seven million deaths have been dealt with through a system known for at least a dozen years to be unsafe" and "it is scarcely believable that this is to continue". | |
| Changes in death certification were among the safeguards recommended by Dame Janet Smith's inquiry into Shipman's crimes in 2004. | Changes in death certification were among the safeguards recommended by Dame Janet Smith's inquiry into Shipman's crimes in 2004. |
| That inquiry was followed by a specific review of coroners and death certification, chaired by Mr Luce, which called for: | That inquiry was followed by a specific review of coroners and death certification, chaired by Mr Luce, which called for: |
| The more recent Francis Inquiry into the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal also called for changes. | The more recent Francis Inquiry into the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal also called for changes. |
| The Labour government legislated for the reforms in 2009 but they were not implemented. | The Labour government legislated for the reforms in 2009 but they were not implemented. |
| The current government committed to introducing the reforms including appointing independent medical examiners in local authority areas to counter-sign and scrutinise death certificates. | The current government committed to introducing the reforms including appointing independent medical examiners in local authority areas to counter-sign and scrutinise death certificates. |
| The president of the Royal College of Pathologists, Dr Suzy Lishman, described it as "incomprehensible" that the system had not yet been reformed to include medical examiners. | The president of the Royal College of Pathologists, Dr Suzy Lishman, described it as "incomprehensible" that the system had not yet been reformed to include medical examiners. |
| Dr Suzy Lishman said the change was "long overdue" and failure to act would result in more cases like that of Shipman. | Dr Suzy Lishman said the change was "long overdue" and failure to act would result in more cases like that of Shipman. |
| She called on the government to revisit the issue and implement changes without delay. | She called on the government to revisit the issue and implement changes without delay. |
| Shipman was jailed for life in January 2000 for murdering 15 of his patients and forging the will of one but a public inquiry later decided he had killed at least 250 patients over 23 years. He killed himself in prison in January 2004 aged 57. | Shipman was jailed for life in January 2000 for murdering 15 of his patients and forging the will of one but a public inquiry later decided he had killed at least 250 patients over 23 years. He killed himself in prison in January 2004 aged 57. |
| Chris Bird, whose mother Violet was murdered by Shipman, said the delay in implementing the changes was "criminal". | Chris Bird, whose mother Violet was murdered by Shipman, said the delay in implementing the changes was "criminal". |
| "There is the government stalling on implementing something like this that can save millions of lives," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. | "There is the government stalling on implementing something like this that can save millions of lives," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. |
| 'Reforms will proceed' | 'Reforms will proceed' |
| A Department of Health spokesman explained there were two "working models" with independent assessors in place, in Sheffield and Gloucester. | A Department of Health spokesman explained there were two "working models" with independent assessors in place, in Sheffield and Gloucester. |
| The spokesman said: "We will be working to review how they fit with other developments on patient safety. The reforms will proceed in light of that review." | The spokesman said: "We will be working to review how they fit with other developments on patient safety. The reforms will proceed in light of that review." |
| The Department of Health emphasised that this was one element of its drive to make the NHS "the safest and most transparent healthcare system in the world". | The Department of Health emphasised that this was one element of its drive to make the NHS "the safest and most transparent healthcare system in the world". |
| It pointed to other reforms made in the wake of the Francis Inquiry such as a statutory duty of candour and a new Care Quality Commission inspection regime. | It pointed to other reforms made in the wake of the Francis Inquiry such as a statutory duty of candour and a new Care Quality Commission inspection regime. |