New coroner's system will require two people to verify cause of death

The biggest overhaul of the coroner's system in England and Wales for 200 years was announced by the government last week, as well as new, more rigorous procedures for certifying deaths.

The new, two stage death certificate process is designed to close the loopholes that allowed the GP Harold Shipman to conceal his murder of more than 200 patients. Reforms to the coroner system will result in a change in the number of coroners from 127 full and part timers to between …