DoH guidance for management of flu pandemic related deaths updated

The Department of Health (DoH) has issued updated guidance for management of flu pandemic related deaths.

‘Pandemic Influenza: Guidance on the Management of Death Certification and Cremation Certification in a Pandemic’ has been updated with the intention of assisting cremation and burial authorities in managing their responsibility for the disposal of remains.

Key features of the update include point III from page eight of the guidebook, which states that legislative amendments will be made to the Cremation Regulations 2008 to introduce a streamlined version of form Cremation 4 and to suspend the requirement for form Cremation 5.

In the event of death from influenza during a pandemic, burial can still be used as a method of disposal under authorisation by the coroner’s burial order or the registrar’s disposal certificate. The DoH feels that no changes to these requirements are needed for the purposes of facilitating burial in the context of an influenza pandemic.

For more information or to view the whole guidebook, visit: http://www.dh.gov.uk/health/files/2012/06/2012-06-21dh-template-guidance-on-management-of-death-certification.pdf