89Coroner may give certain post mortem investigation directions

89 Coroner may give certain post mortem investigation directions

89 Coroner may give certain post mortem investigation directions

(cf Coroners Act 1980, ss 48, 49 and 53B(4))

(1) A coroner may, by written order, give any one or more of the following directions (a post mortem investigation direction) to an appropriate medical investigator if the coroner considers that it is necessary or desirable to do so for the purpose of assisting in the investigation of the death of a deceased person under this Act—

(a) a direction that the investigator conduct (or arrange for another person to conduct) a post mortem examination on the remains of the deceased person,

(b) a direction that the investigator conduct (or arrange for another person to conduct) a special examination or test specified in the direction of—

(i) the remains of the deceased person, or

(ii) the contents of the person’s body or any part of the person’s body, or

(iii) such other matters or things as the coroner considers ought to be examined for the purpose of coronial proceedings (including, without limitation, any tissue taken from the deceased person before the person’s death),

(c) a direction that the investigator conduct (or arrange for another person to conduct) a review of the medical records of the deceased person, which may include consultations with medical practitioners involved in the treatment of the deceased person,

(d) if it appears to the coroner that the cause of death of the deceased person has not been satisfactorily explained by a report given pursuant to a previous post mortem investigation direction (whether given by the same investigator or another person)—a direction that the investigator conduct (or arrange for another person to conduct) another examination, test or review of the kind referred to in paragraph (a), (b) or (c) (whether or not it is of the same kind as that specified in the previous direction).

(2) In addition to the kinds of directions referred to in subsection (1), the coroner may also give a post mortem investigation direction to an appropriate medical investigator that directs the investigator to conduct (or arrange for another person to conduct) an examination of human remains for the purpose of determining whether the remains are those of a stillborn child.