Functions3.
Your functions as medical referee are set out in regulations 23 to 28 of the Cremation Regulations, and can be summarised as follows:
•Not to allow a cremation unless you are satisfied that the death has been properly registered, or is not required to be registered, or that a coroner has issued a certificate as set out in form Cremation 6;
•To be satisfied that the application and certificates are as required by the Regulations;
•To be satisfied that adequate inquiries have been made by the medical practitioners completing the certificates;
To be satisfied either that the application has been made by an executor or a near relative of the deceased, or that there is sufficient explanation why the application has not been made by an executor or near relative;
•Not to allow the cremation unless you are satisfied that the fact and cause of death have been definitely ascertained, or if not so ascertained that the coroner has investigated the death and has released the body;
•To request a pathologist to carry out a post-mortem examination if the cause of death has not been definitely ascertained or, in particular, the cause of death given on either form Cremation 4 or Cremation 5 suggests that it might be due to poison, violence, an illegal operation, privation or neglect (although in practice, these cases would normally be notified to the coroner), subject to the consent of the appropriate person (as set out in Part 1 of the Human Tissue Act 2004) being obtained;
•Not to allow the cremation if such a post-mortem examination fails to reveal the cause of death, unless an investigation has been opened and a coroner has issued form Cremation 6;
Not to allow the cremation if there are other suspicious circumstances connected to the death of the deceased, whether revealed in the medical certificates or otherwise, unless an investigation has been opened and a coroner has completed form Cremation 6;
•If the death has been referred to the coroner, not to allow the cremation until an investigation has been opened, if a coroner has given notice of his intention to open an investigation;
•To make such reports to the Secretary of State as may from time to time be required;
•To consider any representations from the applicant for cremation following his or her inspection of the medical certificates, and to refer the case to a coroner as necessary.

4. You should avoid any unnecessary delay to cremations but it is essential that you ensure that no cremation takes place unless all the relevant forms have been properly completed in accordance with the Regulations. You have the statutory power to reject inadequately completed forms, and you may refuse to authorise cremation until the forms have been completed satisfactorily. However, you must give your reasons if you refuse to authorise a cremation.5. 5. There may be times where the answer to question 3 of Part 4 of form Cremation 1 indicates an objection by another near relative, or executor, to the proposed cremation. In these circumstances we would suggest that you and the cremation authority invite the applicant to resolve any external issues before applying for cremation.
6. All the cremation forms can be downloaded from our website at www.gov.uk/government/collections/cremation-forms-and-guida... Non-statutory versions of these forms should not be used. Crematoria or funeral directors must not change the wording of the forms, and you should not authorise any cremation which does not use the statutory forms.


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https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/...

PART XI DISPOSAL OF BODIES OF DECEASED PERSONS
Interpretation of Part XI

48. In this Part of these Regulations–

“the 1926 Act” means the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1926(27);

“certificate for disposal” means any certificate under subsection (1) of section 24 of the Act (certificates as to receipt of notice of and as to registration of death) and “certificate for disposal before registration” means a certificate of a registrar under that subsection that he has received written notice of a death;

“notification of disposal” means a notification as to the date, place and means of disposal of the body of a deceased person which a person effecting the dis-posal is required by section 3(1) of the 1926 Act to deliver to the relevant registrar.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1987/2088/made

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Interpretation of Part X

57. In this Part of these regulations—

“certificate for disposal after registration” means a certificate of a registrar under section 24(1) of the Act that he has registered a death;

“certificate for disposal before registration” means a certificate of a registrar under the said subsection that he has received notice of a death;

“certificate for disposal” means either of the above-mentioned certificates;

“notification of disposal” means a notification as to the date, place and means of disposal of the body of a deceased person which a person effecting the disposal is required by section 3 of the Births and Death Registration Act 1926 to deliver to the registrar; and

“person effecting the disposal” has the same meaning as in section 12 of that Act.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1968/2049/made

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Guidance for Medical (Crematorium) Refereesin preparation for completing professional annual appraisal

Purpose of this role

The Medical Referee visits the crematorium to inspect all the official medical certificated documentation (known as Forms1-11) regarding the deceased, and if in order he/she gives written consent that a cremation can take place. Without this consent the cremation will not go ahead.Some doctors connected to Public Health England (PHE) or the Faculty of Public Health (FPH) act in this capacity alongside wider role(s) and some act only in this role, in which case it may be ona very part-time basis.
https://www.fph.org.uk/media/1511/guidance-for-medical-crema...

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https://www.iccm-uk.com/iccm/library/Guidance to crematorium...
https://www.cremation.org.uk/content/files/2018-guidance-to-...


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Once completed, this certificate must be handed or sent in a closed envelope by, or on behalf of, the medical practitioner who signs it to the medical practitioner who is to give the confirmatory medical certificate except in a case where question 10 is answered in the affirmative, in which case the certificate must be so handed or sent to the medical referee at the cremation authority at which the cremation is to take place.
https://www.barnsley.gov.uk/media/1531/medical-certificate-t...

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“cremation authority” means any burial authority or any person who has opened a crematorium and, in article 3(a), includes any burial authority or person who intends to open a crematorium;
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Qualifications of medical referee and deputy medical referee
7.—(1) To be eligible for appointment as a medical referee or a deputy medical referee, a person must be a registered medical practitioner of at least five years’ standing.
(2)The Secretary of State must appoint as medical referee and deputy medical referee such persons as may be nominated by the cremation authority who have the character, experience and qualifications to discharge the duties required by these Regulations.
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Authorisation of cremation of the remains of a deceased person by medical referee

(2)Where the medical referee is satisfied that a cremation authority has made all reasonable efforts to comply with regulation 22(2) but has been unable to do so within 48 hours, beginning with the time at which the cremation authority received the medical certificate and confirmatory medical certificate, the medical referee may authorise cremation of the remains of a deceased person.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2008/2841/pdfs/uksi_20082...

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Medical referees at crematoria are paid by local authorities to scrutinise cremation certificates. If not satisfied, medical referees are required to contact the doctors completing certificates 4 and 5 and, if necessary, order a necropsy examination. They also have a duty, where appropriate, to refer a case to the coroner.
https://www.bma.org.uk/advice/employment/fees/cremation