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FOREWORD
I have pleasure in submitting the attached report prepared by the Group set up by your predecessor as Health Minister in January 2005.
Our terms of reference required us to look at two main subjects, death certification and the law relating to burial cremation and cemeteries. In looking at the subject of death certification the Group concentrated on proposals designed to ensure that when death occurs there are adequate safeguards in place to meet any concerns about the death that may be in the minds of family or society. The fact that Scotland has so far not suffered from the activities of a Dr Shipman is no guarantee that this will continue. While no number of changes to death certification procedures can eradicate criminal behaviour the Group consider that if either of the suggested models for death certification are implemented the existing very unlikely possibility of a Scottish Dr Shipman appearing will be rendered even more remote.
The need to look at death certification arose out of the recent scandal of Dr Shipman. No such scandal initiated the review of the Burial, Cremation and Cemeteries legislation. Rather the need for it arose from changes in society and the fact that the legislative provisions governing burials and burial grounds were to a large extent over one hundred and fifty years old.
Many of the Group's proposed recommendations represent an updating and regularisation of procedures while others reflect an attempt to deal with current problems, such as the scarcity of burial grounds and the abandonment of graves and memorials. As many of our proposals relate to practical matters the Group would encourage the government to involve the professional bodies most closely concerned with these matters in their eventual implementation.
The Group's work could not have proceeded as it did without the efforts of a number of Scottish Government officials involved in the Group's work. Over the time the Group met there were a number of personnel changes such that only one of those present at the beginning of our work was still involved at the end. The main constant was their professionalism and dedication to the work in hand. On behalf of all the members of the Group I would like to record our sincere thanks for their efforts.
ROBERT BRODIE
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