Diploma course in Management of the Dead

Aims:

This course has been designed by the Academy of Forensic Medical Sciences, which runs a number of courses encompassing various aspects of Forensic Medical Sciences.

This course aims to offer participants an understanding and practical knowledge of the main aspects related to the management of the dead. It also explains the processes involved in ensuring the dead are managed in a proper and dignified manner, including consideration for the needs of bereaved families. The course will also provide an understanding of all aspects of how deceased persons are managed from when death occurs to their lawful disposal and all related issues. Both single and multiple death situations will be covered.

Who is the course for?

A number of different professionals and students will find the course relevant to their work practice and studies including:

• Various categories of hospital personnel such as doctors, paramedics, nurses, managers and mortuary staff
• Police and fire services
• Coroners and their officers and others in the legal system with an interest in this area,
• Specialised teams involved in disaster victim identification and those involved in exhumations and other related human rights activities
• Funeral staff
• Pathologists, anthropologists, odontologists and others called in to examine deceased persons
• Professionals involved in the care of bereaved relatives

Outcomes:

• An understanding of the various procedures and complexities involved in dealing with the deceased
• An understanding of the importance and processes of management and logistics in both single and mass disasters
• An appreciation of the role of the various professionals involved in the management of the deceased
• A consideration of the need for national and international requirements for single body and/or multiple body management in different circumstances including in armed conflict

Distance Learning Option

In addition to attendance at course lectures at our South East London venue we also offer a Distance Learning alternative for those who cannot attend lectures.

To our distance learning students we offer the full lecture with documentation on line which will remain accessible for 10 weeks following the course. In order to assess that students are accessing the teaching material we also set a number of short questions relevant to each lecture. The purpose of the questions will be to ensure engagement of the students. We also encourage the students to post questions to us on a course website which will be answered by the relevant lecturers.

Enrolling in the Course

The course will run from 8 August- 2 September.

Candidates must submit a formal application for admission, electronic copy of an application can be downloaded here.

Topics in the course will include:

Legal aspects of managing the deceased

• Identification of deceased
• Certification and death registration
• Reasons for referring to the coroner
• Investigation and legal process in various categories of death
• Legal requirements for burial or cremation
• Brief overview on relevant legislation

Procedures for the recognition of life extinct and diagnosis of death

• The authorise personnel responsible in pronouncing and certifying death in
• Diagnosis of brain death
• Protocols and issues arising
• Pronouncing death within healthcare facilities (hospital, care home etc.)

Organ donation and transplantation

• The regulations involving organ donation in the United Kingdom both in the deceased and brain dead donors

Healthcare Environments (Hospitals, Care Homes, Hospices)

• The procedures involving how the body is managed after life is extinct (dead) in a clinic/hospital
• Measures taken to ensure that the deceased is treated in an appropriate way with dignity and taking into consideration any religious or cultural practices
• Transportation to the mortuary or funeral parlour

Indoor Death

• These may vary from domestic, workplace or various public premises
• Procedure on discovering or notification of death and what steps need to be taken depending on the category of death, including securing and examining the scene

Custodial Death

• The deceased may be in custody but within a hospital or within a prison, police station, mental health institution
• Description of the protocols involved and the necessary investigation to be carried out to include the role of the police, IPCC, Coroner

Outdoors (land and water)

• Protocols in dealing with an outdoor environment and examination of the body in situ prior to removal

Other Topics:

• Management of a scene including preservation
• Multiple deaths including mass disasters, genocide, armed conflicts
• Mortuary practices, post-mortems and issues arising
• Management of the next of kin
• Preparing for lawful disposal and funeral practices
• Dealing with the media
• Presenting evidence at court

Course Fees for 2019

The fee for attendance at Lectures within the South East London venue is £900, payable prior to the commencement of the course.

The fee for the distance learning course is £900 payable prior to the commencement of the course.

CPD

The course is suitable for Continuing Professional Development purposes (CPD) and students are able to claim 28 CPD points after successful completion (80% of attendance)

Certificate of Attendance

Students who successfully complete the course will be eligible to obtain a certificate of attendance.

Further information, please contact:

Mr Adam Konstanciak

Academy of Forensic Medical Sciences

Miller House, 3 Devonshire Drive, London SE10 8LP

Tel: 0207 525 6030

Fax: 0208 691 0873

Email: info@afms.org.uk