Death in Hospital Form and Guidelines

Issue

An inpatient hospital death requires health practitioners to be aware of a number of mandatory and statutory obligations particularly those reporting requirements under the Coroners Act 1996 and Health Act 1911. 

The 2000 Douglas Inquiry identified the need to improve systems with respect to multiple reporting requirements.

The Death in Hospital (DIH) Form and Guidelines have been developed to assist health pracitioners to navigate the key reporting obligations in a timely manner. The documents were developed in consultation with the State Coroner for statewide implementation.

Death In Hospital Form & Guidelines

The Death in Hospital (DIH) form provides a summary or checklist of the key statutory and mandatory reporting obligations that arise following an inpatient hospital death (Attachment A). Guidelines have also been developed to assist health pracitioners complete the DIH form correctly and in a timely manner (Attachment B).

For the purposes of this Information Circular, an inpatient hospital death includes a death of a patient categorised as inpatient who might have died while on leave from hospital. All hospitals treating public patients are encouraged to use the DIH Form and Guidelines to comply with statutory and mandatory obligations following an inpatient hospital death. 

The DIH Guidelines cover the key statutory and mandatory obligations following an inpatient hospital death under the following WA Health Directives and Circulars:

• Extinction of Life: see Operational Circular 1652/03
• Coroners Act 1996:  see Information Circular 2066/06
• Health Act 1911: see Operational Circular 1453/01 Reporting of Maternal Deaths; Operational Circular 1197/99 Reporting of Deaths of Persons Under Anaesthesia; and Operational Circular 0713/96 Perinatal Deaths: Registration & Disposal of Body.
• Sentinel Events reportable to the Chief Medical Officer see Operational Directive 0002/06
• Deaths reportable to the Chief Psychiatrist see Operational Circular 2061/06

This Information Circular does not override any information contained in the above documents but should be read in conjunction with them where further detail is required.

Implementation

Implementation of the DIH Form and Guidelines is strongly encouraged by all hospitals treating public patients in early 2007. All other hospitals may use this resource to improve their governance processes.

All hospital / health services will be responsible for printing and disseminating the forms throughout the ward and mortuary areas. It is recommended that copies of the DIH form and Guidelines be available on all hospital wards and mortuary areas.

The following Health Staff are to be informed of this Information Circular:

• Clinical staff including medical and nursing 
• Mortuary and Post Mortem coordinators
• Relevant clerical staff
• Health Information staff
• Quality Improvement and Clinical Governance Coordinators

Officers in the Office of Safety and Quality in Health Care’s Coronial Liaison Unit are available to advise in the delivery and implementation of the DIH Form & Guidelines attached to this Information Circular. 

Dr Simon Towler
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
HEALTH POLICY & CLINICAL REFORM