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Following the sense of paranoia instilled into doctors by the exploits of Harold Shipman funeral directors are finding reluctance amongst some Doctors to sign cremation forms. Members have also reported that they have encountered problems with companies established to act as an ‘out of hours’ service. A worrying trend amongst some doctors is an insistence that a body is transported to a doctor’s surgery so that an examination can be carried out prior to a certificate being signed. Mervyn Pilley – SAIF Chief Executive Officer said “members are very unhappy with being asked to move a deceased around the country once they have collected the body and it is in their possession. Doctors are paid a reasonable level of fees and travelling expenses to carry out an examination and we do not see why our members should be asked to effectively do the Doctors work for them at no charge”.

In their usual somewhat arrogant approach the British Medical Association has not appeared to issue any guidance to their members in this area.

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