Consultation on a Proposed Bill Relating to Burial and Cremation and Other Related Matters in Scotland - Web Only

Informing staff of particular causes of death

99 The Burial and Cremation Review Group recommended that professionals who are required to handle the bodies of people who have died because of an infectious disease which continues to pose a threat after death should be informed of the cause of death before they handle the body so that any necessary precautions can be taken. The Group proposed to make it a statutory obligation for the relevant NHS Board or other relevant body to inform staff as necessary.

100 Under section 91 of the Public Health (Scotland) Act 2008, health boards are already under a duty to inform certain people when a person dies of an infectious disease, had an infectious disease before they died of another cause or was contaminated before they died (even if the contamination did not cause the death).^[26]

101 In such circumstances, the health board is required to inform 'any person who appears to the board to be responsible for the disposal of the person's body'. The health board must tell such people the nature of any risk to public health as a result of the disease or contamination. The health board must also provide advice on any precautions which it thinks should be taken. This requirement satisfies the Group's recommendation and no further action is proposed.