Introduction of Medical Examiners and Reforms to Death Certification in England and Wales

This response has been informed by extensive discussions with representatives of councils and from the evidence and learning from the two major piloting areas, Sheffield and Gloucestershire.

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LGA Response 

The Local Government Association is the national voice of local government, working with councils to improve, promote and support local government. We are a politically-led, cross-party organisation that works on behalf of councils to ensure local government has a strong, credible voice with national government. We aim to influence and set the political agenda on the issues that matter to councils so they are able to deliver local solutions to national problems. We are a membership organisation, representing 414 local authorities. These members include 349 English councils, the 22 Welsh councils via the Welsh LGA, 31 fire authorities, 10 national parks and one town council. 

This response has been informed by extensive discussions with representatives of councils and from the evidence and learning from the two major piloting areas, Sheffield and Gloucestershire. Rather than addressing each of the specific questions posed in the consultation document and the accompanying documents, we have focused on issues of most significance to our member authorities and where evidence from the pilots indicates significant implications and challenges for councils in implementing their new duties. We also raise some issues that are not included in the consultation document but of real concern to local government.