Removing the uncertainty from coronial autopies

(PhysOrg.com) -- Families have the right to object to an invasive coronial autopsy of their loved one, but whether their objection is accepted by the Coroner tends to be an arbitrary decision, Queensland University of Technology (QUT) justice expert Dr Belinda Carpenter said.

As part of a new study, Dr Carpenter will survey coroners to find out how they determine which objections stand.

The study funded by a $140,000 Australian Research Council Linkage grant will explore how coroners, police, counsellors and pathologists engage with families after the shock of a sudden or violent death.

"In 2003 Queensland adopted a new system of death investigation which, for the first time, gave coroners the responsibility of determining the level of invasiveness of an autopsy," said Dr Carpenter from QUT's Faculty of Law.

"This included an obligation for coroners to consider family concerns about autopsy."

There are three types of autopsies: an external viewing; a partial internal viewing with up to four dissections; and a full internal viewing with five or more dissections.

Dr Carpenter said since the introduction of the legislation which allowed coroners to take into account genuine family concerns, there had been fewer invasive internal autopsies ordered.

But she said in most cases these were motivated by family concern rather than religious or cultural objections.

"Comments like 'feels mother has been through enough' and 'we wish to bury our son whole' tended to be most effective in influencing less invasive autopsies to be performed," she said.

Dr Carpenter said the fact objections were rarely based on cultural or religious belief could reflect a lack of confidence and knowledge from minority groups.

"What we want to do now is talk to the people who are involved in the decision-making process of a coronial autopsy to enable a more consistent and transparent approach to be established," she said.

"From a community perspective we hope it will help in providing more informed and appropriate decision-making by coroners, less invasive autopsies by pathologists, and more focused intervention by counsellors."

Dr Carpenter said there were about 24,000 deaths in Queensland annually and around 3000 were referred to the coroner.

The four-year study is being conducted with industry partners from Queensland Health Scientific Services, Queensland Police and the Coroner's Office.

This project follows a 2004 ARC funded study which investigated the effect legislation had on determining the number and type of autopsies ordered.

Provided by Queensland University of Technology