title: Neonatal referrals to the coroner service: a short survey on current practice.
abstract: In Ireland, coroners are required by law to ascertain the details of potentially unexplained deaths. The Coroner's Acts (1962 and 2005) detail deaths which must be notified to the coroner. We surveyed current practice regarding the notification of the Coroner Service following neonatal deaths by telephone interview of senior clinical nurse managers of paediatric units with neonatal inpatients. Five of 21 units (23.8%) reported that all neonatal deaths would prompt contact with the Coroner Service, with four more units (19%) reporting that unexpected neonatal deaths would be referred. Nine units (42.9%) reported that referral was at the discretion of the consultant involved while three units (14.3%) do not refer neonatal deaths to the coroner.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Parmar
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Walsh
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Downey
authors.forename: J F A
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Murphy
mesh_terms: D002423:Cause of Death; D003334:Coroners and Medical Examiners / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007494:Ireland; D019221:Mandatory Reporting; D066087:Perinatal Death; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000592:standards / Q000706:statistics & numerical data