The disruptive impact of death certification reforms has been felt by bereaved families and funeral professionals across England and Wales. 

And since the changes were introduced in September last year, it became clear that delays to death registration were extending well beyond original expectations. South Wales was one of the worst-affected areas, attracting widespread media attention. 

In response, SAIF has proactively engaged officials at the highest levels of government, and in February this year joined a newly established national strategic oversight group for Wales. 

The initiative brought together key partners from across the death certification, registration and funeral sectors, with the aim of taking a collaborative approach to the issue. 

Notably, SAIF representatives, including CEO Terry Tennens, attended meetings and contributed their expertise on behalf of independent funeral directors and families in their care. 

Since its inception, the group has met fortnightly, focusing its efforts on monitoring performance, enabling robust stakeholder engagement and coordinating essential corrective actions.

As a core part of its work, the oversight group has developed two crucial information documents. These resources are designed to be read along with existing UK Government guidance, providing clarity and support to those navigating the updated processes. The documents are:

1. Understanding Death Certification in Wales: This document (also available in Welsh) aims to provide consistent, all-Wales information for the public regarding the new death certification process, ensuring clarity for bereaved families.
2. Information about Death Certification in Wales: This document supports healthcare professionals by outlining their specific duties within the process, promoting greater accuracy and timeliness in the completion of Medical Certificates of Cause of Death (MCCDs).

While the oversight group’s concerted efforts have led to some improvements in the median time from death to registration over recent months, the Welsh First Minister has clearly stated that current timescales remain too lengthy. 

Further enhancements are still critically needed to support bereaved families during a difficult time, and organisations involved in the death certification process are being asked to assist. 

Funeral directors in Wales are encouraged to update their publicly available information about death certification to reflect the content of the above document titled Understanding Death Certification in Wales.

Additionally, both newly developed documents should be shared with all relevant teams within funeral businesses, from administration colleagues to mortuary technicians. 

Making these readily available will provide essential support to staff in undertaking their duties within the updated death certification process. 

SAIF welcomes these communications from the Welsh Government and remains committed to working in partnership with all actors involved in death certification to ensure families do not experience any undue delays in saying goodbye to loved ones.