Distraught Family

[maggiebee]

Friend's sister took her own life recently. When my friend went to collect the death certificate, cause of death was given as "suspected Covid-19". When my friend queried this she was told that during lockdown, Government instructions were that this had to go on the certificates. I have never heard of this before and can find no link. To say that the family is distraught is an understatement.

[Bobbisox1]

Maggie that’s appalling big it’s right, although being suicide, I’m not sure what would be entered on a death certificate ?

[Mamyalynne]

Awful, they need to deal with their grief and not to concentrate on the words on the certificate - it's not a good way of collating figures.

They must be heartbroken, was it totally out of character?

[Bobbisox1]

Typo not big *if*

[jno]

I suppose it's quite possible that someoneis distraught at catching Cvid 19 and takes their own life, but you'd think there would need to be some actual grounds for it. This might be the srot of thing worth taking up with their MP if they get no joy from the medical profession.

Here's the guidance on death certificates at the moment

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/877302/guidance-for-doctors-completing-medical-certificates-of-cause-of-death-covid-19.pdf

[gness]

My mother died during lockdown and that is not on the certificate though her symptoms, in my opinion, could be put down to the virus.

[zebo]

This happened with the death of a family member, their care home disputed it as there had been no tests done and it was changed. I doubt that this is a government edict.

[maggiebee]

Thank you for that link jno. Not sure if the same rules apply in Scotland? Friend's sister had a history of depression, but it's very hard to know what's going on in someone's mind that tips the balance. It may have been concerns about the virus but guess nobody will ever know. All I feel I can do is to support my friend and her family at this sad time - made very difficult of course with social distancing. Thanks for your comments.

[pastafreak]

If this is happening...horrific I may add...and is "official", does it then become part of the COVID statistics? How many other deaths are registered as due to COVID...but are not?

[rowanwitch]

Poor recording, I used to investigate causes of death in the electronic records I would have bounced it back as covid has to be a secondary condition in a suicide. It should be a coroner's case. Contact the coroner's courts and express your concerns.

[naomi24]

Regardless of the reason someone commits suicide I can’t see how the death can be recorded as anything other than suicide. That’s the cause of death.

[Thisoldbird]

That is awful. I have heard others saying similar..sort of disbelieved them..

[maggiebee]

Agree Naomi, the family knew how she died. Think they may take it further.

[Bobbisox1]

I think they ought to Maggie when the healing process has started

[naomi24]

I think they should take it further.

[tiggerblue10]

I agree, they should definitely take it forward. No wonder our death rate is so high if this is what has been happening.

[rowanwitch]

They should do it asap it only takes a call and they will find the coroner's staff really helpful

[-SharonA-]

I have heard of this. A friend's father died of heart failure and it was put on his death certificate much to the family's anger.

[pixie374]

I'm sorry, Maggie x I have been trying to find this out myself, but Google isn't helpful. Covid is a notifiable disease, and usually those are named on a death certificate in any case... along with any other causes. Do you know if that was the only cause recorded?

[Neveracrossword]

I think Maggiebee's in Scotland - where there are no coroners, it's a completely different system.

[pixie374]

Ok, apologies x