Hong Kong Ordinances

BIRTHS AND DEATHS REGISTRATION ORDINANCE - SECT 20

Provisions as to certificates of cause of death

(Past version on 30/06/1997).

With respect to certificates of the cause of death, the following provisions
shall have effect-

   (a)  the Registrar shall, on the application in writing of a registered
        medical practitioner, furnish him with a book of printed forms of
        certificates of death in the prescribed form; (See Form 18)

   (b)  in case of the death of any person who has been attended during his
        last illness by a registered medical practitioner, that practitioner
        shall forthwith sign and give to some person required by this
        Ordinance to give information concerning the death a certificate, in
        the form prescribed by this section, stating to the best of his
        knowledge and belief the cause of death, and such person shall, on
        giving information concerning the death, deliver that certificate to a
        registrar; and the cause of death as stated in that certificate shall
        be entered in the register: Provided that the practitioner shall not
        sign that certificate unless he has personally viewed the body of that
        person and is satisfied that death has occurred or, if the death has
        occurred in a hospital, he has received a notice from another
        registered medical practitioner stating that the other practitioner
        has personally viewed that body and is satisfied that death has
        occurred; (Amended 40 of 1967 s. 2; 27 of 1997 s. 71)

   (c)  where an inquest is held on the body of any deceased person, or where
        a coroner has issued a burial order, a medical certificate of the
        cause of death need not be given; (Amended 57 of 1967 Schedule; 27 of
        1997 s. 71)

   (d)  for the purpose of securing uniformity in the death returns, the cause
        of death certified by a registered medical practitioner, or by any
        medical officer in any branch of Her Majesty's service, or by a
        coroner shall, so far as possible, be described in strict accordance
        with such classification as may be prescribed. If in any certificate
        the cause of death is not so described, it shall be lawful for a
        registrar to refuse to register the cause of death as thus certified,
        and to proceed in the manner provided by section 21 for cases in which
        that officer suspects that the reported cause of death is not the true
        cause. (Amended 1 of 1965 s. 8; 57 of 1967 Schedule) [cf. 1874 c. 88
        s. 20 U.K.]