The GMC appears to be referring to Form B here.
Question 15-----do you feel any doubt whatever as to the character of
the disease or the cause of death?
Apart from the godawful syntax, it strikes me that post-Shipman it would
be unwise to write No in reply to this question. Post-Shipman there will
_always_ be doubt. The wording of this question allows no room for
manoeuvre, no room for reasonable certainty---the tone is absolutist.
The GMC guidance goes---"You should not refuse to sign statutory
cremation forms on the basis of your own personal or religious objection
to cremation."
Scratch religious, scratch personal (presumably own morals, ethics,
value system) and no doubt a good lawyer could argue that refusal to
sign Form B is mandated by inability to answer No to Q 15. On top of
which, since the purpose of this form is to assure all concerned that
death was from natural cases, it seems to me to be asking a bit much of
the average non-FME GP to fill up this form with the sort of ex cathedra
certainty that seems to be required. Post-Shipman.
Has the GMC thought this one through, I wonder? Cremation is not common
round these parts, even the Protestants like to go in the ground as
opposed to up on the mantelpiece, but I hear of an occasional one. For
example, if one of the practice patients died this month and was to be
cremated, I would most likely be the doctor asked to complete Form B
because of knowing most of the patients and having spent more time in
the practice over the last two years than anyone else apart from the
principal. Who is away this month.
I think I would not be rushing to complete Form B and if it came to the
bit, I would be calling the MDU for advice.
Declan
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