VerbatimParliament, as it happens

Medical Examiners

Asked by Mark SewardsLabourDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 8 July 2026UIN 15558

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how many Medical Examiners and Medical Examiner Officers have been recruited since the implementation of the death certification reforms in September 2024.

Answered by Preet Kaur Gill

The workforce at medical examiner offices in 2025 is broadly in line with modelled expectations. In Wales, the medical examiner system workforce comprised of 12.8 whole time equivalent (WTE) medical examiners and 39.1 WTE medical examiner officers. In England, there were 180.6 WTE medical examiners and 510.2 WTE medical examiner officers.

Overall, activity in all regions in England and Wales is within expected parameters. The workforce appears sufficient from a national and regional perspective. The Royal College of Pathologists trained an additional 197 medical examiners in 2025, resulting in a cumulative total of 2,663, and an additional 113 staff attended medical examiner officer training, resulting in a cumulative total of 909.

Verbatim has judged this answer against the question that was actually asked — answered, partly answered, or evaded. Sign in to see the verdict →

Open this question in Verbatim →

Every written question, searchable

155,000 questions tabled since the election, with the answer each department gave — and the ones still unanswered, with the clock running. Free to search.

Search written questions →Read on Verbatim