Chapter 11: Symptom control and care towards the end of life
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Post‐procedural considerations
Unexpected deaths must be confirmed by a medical doctor (and usually a senior medical doctor). Confirmation of death must be recorded in the clinical notes. If the death is suspicious or unexplained, a special forensic post‐mortem may be required, in which case the family and carers will only be able to view the body with the agreement of the police and coroner. In many instances the restrictions will be minimal; however, if the death is thought to be suspicious, it is important that forensic evidence is not contaminated; there should therefore be no removal of indwelling devices or other such equipment from the patient (Wilson [166]).
Infectious patients
The practitioner who verified the death is responsible for ascertaining whether the person had a known or suspected infection and whether this is notifiable. Guidance is available from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE [65]).
