Do the consent provisions of the HT Act include coroners’ post mortems?
No. The coroner can authorise a post mortem without the consent of the family (see section 11 of the HT Act). This applies to “routine” and forensic post mortems. The HTA’s codes of practice provide advice and guidance on consent and post mortem examination. Does any post mortem activity performed under the coroner’s authority come within the HTA’s regulatory remit? Yes. Any autopsy that is authorised by a coroner must be carried out on premises licensed by the HTA. What should happen to tissue removed at coroner’s autopsy once the coroner’s authority has ended?
