Completion of form Cremation 4 (Medical Certificate) (replaced form B)
Medical practitioners: guidance on completing cremation forms
The most frequently occurring errors in completing these forms are:
- Failure to complete all questions in full
- Deletion of questions
- Incorrect completion of forms, and
- Illegible handwriting.
Abbreviations for causes of death are unacceptable where the abbreviation is unclear, unusual or ambiguous; in such cases, the medical referee is likely to make further enquiries of you. You should sign the form with an electronic or full signature, not an abbreviation. You cannot use a stamp.
You must complete the form yourself. It must not be completed by another person on your behalf.
Medical referees will expect that the evidence offered on the certificate demonstrates sound clinical grounds for the cause of death given, and you should complete form Cremation 4 with this in mind.
Useful references
This guide covers the responsibilities of medical practitioners when completing medical certificates after a death and before a cremation.
It also covers the role of the medical referee and what medical practitioners can do to help the referee.
Completing a medical certificate of cause of death (MCCD) - Link
