Information Management Strategies and Death Certification in the UK

Abstract

There is a great desire by the public, health professionals and judiciary to dramatically alter the certification of death in the UK. Proposed changes have major implications for the way death certification data are collected, disseminated, processed, analysed and ultimately used to inform management decision-making and policy for public health. The article describes current information management strategies with regard to certifying death and identifies challenges, highlighting the local level use of mortality data. Suggestions to resolve some of the information management issues that have relevance beyond the UK are made and areas for further research are identifie