Post-mortem examination
One of twenty-three terms in the resource centre
A post-mortem examination is a medical examination carried out by a pathologist to establish the cause of death. In England and Wales, the coroner orders it when the cause of death is not clear, and the family's consent is not needed for a coroner's post-mortem, though the family is told when it will take place.
The interim certificate
When the examination does not settle the cause of death, or the coroner has opened an inquest, the coroner issues an interim certificate of the fact of death. It is a temporary document: it confirms that the person has died and lets the family deal with the estate, banks and insurers while the investigation continues. The full death certificate follows once the coroner records a conclusion.
Repatriation after a post-mortem
A repatriation out of the UK can go ahead after a post-mortem, and often while the inquest is still open. The coroner must have released your loved one, and the coroner's acknowledgement that they may leave England must be in place. The interim certificate travels with the other papers, and the destination country's consulate may ask for it alongside the embalming and free from infection certificates. We deal with the coroner's office on the family's behalf and tell you what has been released and what is still awaited, so there is no guessing about the date.
A post-mortem does not usually leave marks that a viewing would show. If you would like to see your loved one before they travel, say so, and we arrange it.
Read next
What a post-mortem means for the timing is in what happens when the coroner is involved and why a repatriation is delayed. For a death abroad, the first day is set out in what happens when a British citizen dies abroad.
Related terms: Coroner and Body repatriation. Every term, explained.
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