- Procurator Fiscals are all legally qualified. They are employed in the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, a Scottish Executive Department, and their principal responsibilities are the investigation and prosecution of crime and the investigation of deaths(which occur in the following situations).
- The person's general practitioner had not seen them in the 14 days before they died or immediately afterward.
- The general practitioner had not looked after, seen or treated the person during their last illness (in other words death was sudden).
- The cause of death is unknown or uncertain.
- The death was violent or unnatural (e.g., suicide, accident, or drug or alcohol overdose).
- The death was in any way suspicious.
- The death took place during surgery or recovering from an anaesthetic.
- The death took place in prison or police custody.
- The death was caused by an industrial disease.
- Anyone who is unhappy about the cause of a death can inform a Procurator Fiscal about it. In most cases, however, a death will be reported to the Procurator Fiscal by a doctor or the police.
- If the Procurator Fiscal is satisfied with the Medical Cause of Death Certificate and any further evidence received from the police, no further action is required.
- If further action is required, the Procurator Fiscal may:
- interview relatives and other witnesses (this is usually done by the police).
- call for a further medical report (usually from the Police Surgeon).
- a post-mortem.
- a Fatal Accident Inquiry.
- The Procurator Fiscal notifies the Registrar General of the findings of the investigation.
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