Book SynopsisDealing with Death is a comprehensive and authoritative source of information for professionals on the procedures, laws and cultural customs that should be observed when someone dies. This completely updated and expanded second edition takes into account the recent changes in UK law and the impact of the Harold Shipman and Alder Hey enquiries.Clear guidance is provided on all the legal, technical and forensic procedures surrounding death, including:* medical certification of cause of death* coroner's enquiries* autopsy* organ and tissue donation* burial and cremation* exhumation.The authors give insights into a wide range of sensitive areas, such as dignified care for the dying and considerations for the bereaved, the particular issues that arise when a baby dies, and the appropriate handling of death from AIDS. Part 3 provides an overview of a wide range of cultural and religious death rites and the implications of religious beliefs on blood transfusions, terminal care and euthanasia.This professional handbook is a key text for coroners, lawyers, police, funeral directors and clergy, as well as healthcare professionals, palliative care workers, social care professionals and students.Trade ReviewThe details of organisations involved in bereavement and death are particularly useful, and for this reason alone the book should be available in all hospitals and care homes. -- Learning Disability PracticeThis book is one of the most comprehensive, well researched and practical guides through the difficult and complex geography of death that I have come across. It provides a brief but comprehensive guide to the current laws controlling, and the customs surrounding, the disposal of the dead. The book intelligently summarises a vast body of knowledge to a manageable size, and provides access to organisations and further sources of information... The Greens are to be congratulated in providing such an excellent book. It deserves to be widely used and the user should be confident in its skill and helpfulness. -- Leveson NewsletterThis handbook details procedures that need to be undertaken with patients at the point of death and offers information on the practicalities of caring for patients from different religions. This is undertaken competently and in some depth. There are separate chapters on each religion and the information in each follows a common format.It also covers legal and ethical matters surrounding death. The details of organisations involved in bereavement and death are particularly useful, and for this reason alone the book should be available in all hospitals and care homes. -- Nursing StandardThe book is well written with each section including interesting historical facts on the subject matter. The handbook manages to deal with all aspects of death in a clear and concise way and would be valuable to specialists and nonspecialists. -- Palliative Medicine JournalThis authoritative and informative h andbook on UK legal, Technical and forensic procedures has become a standard for professionals who deal with death, dying and disposal. The new edition adds a section outlining the implications for practice of a range of religious beliefs and death rites, reflecting increasing cultural and spiritual diversity in Europe... I recommend this as a valuable reference text for UK professionals such as lawyers, police, funeral directors, clergy, and for many health and social care professionals. -- Bereavement CareThis handbook should be on the bookshelf of every coroner, funeral director, crematorium and burial ground superintendent. It will also prove useful to the clergy of every denomination as over seventeen different faiths are dealt with in separate chapters. The police, social work and health care professionals, together with students of many disciplines will find this book invaluable. This is particularly so as a work of reference to the current laws concerning death, and customs surrounding it… All in all this book of three hundred and fifty two pages will have an honoured place on my bookshelf. -- Journal of the Royal Institute of Public HealthIn this comprehensive book, the authors provide answers to a large variety of questions from a broad range of areas that may arise when someone dies Each chapter of the book ends with a short list of references for further reading. In the appendices at the end of the book, the authors give the addresses of organisations, which may help to handle various aspects of death. -- Forensic Science, Medicine and PathologyThe authors manage to provide many important and fascinating insights into the sheer incredible number of aspects of dealing with death, and at the same time they accomplish to reduce the huge heap of information to a manageable amount. The book is a valuable source of information for professionals and the laity alike if it comes to dealing with death. -- Forensic Science, Medicine and PathologyThis is a completely updated and expanded version of what has for 14 years been a most useful handbook for chaplains and other healthcare professionals as well as for those in the funeral sector and those dealing with legal aspects of death and dying… The authors offer a huge resource of practical advice on legal and technical aspects of dealing with death, wide guidance on care for the dying and their relatives, and a final sections on religious, ethnic and cultural aspects of death and dying which on its own would make the book a good buy for anyone interested in Spiritual Care in the health care service. -- Scottish Journal of Healthcare ChaplaincyDespite the short time that death takes in our lives it is governed by more practices, procedures and law than at any other time of our lives. The extraordinary number of such rules is in stark contrast to the few rules known and understood by most health care professionals. Consequently this book is very welcome. -- DementiaTable of ContentsPreface. Acknowledgements. PART I: Legal and Technical Aspects. 1. Customs and Laws. 2. Medical Certification of Cause of Death. 3. Registration of Death. 4. Coroners and Coroner's Inquiries. 5. Fetal Loss, Stillbirth, Neonatal Death and Sudden Death in Infancy. 6. The Autopsy and Mortuary Practice. 7. Funeral Direction and Disposal by Burial. 8. Disposal by Cremation. 9. Organ and Tissue Donation and Transplantation. 10. The Law and Practice of Exhumation. 11. Deaths in Major Disasters. PART II: Considerations for the Living, Care of the Dying, and Death with Dignity. 12. Palliative Care. 13. Medico-legal Issues at the End of Life. 14. Last Offices. 15. Bereavement. 16. The Control of Infection in Life and in Death. PART III: Religious, Ethnic and Cultural Aspects of Dying and Death. 17. Christianity and the Sacraments. 18. The Anglican Church (The Church in Wales, the Church in Ireland, the Episcopalian Church in Scotland). 19. The Roman Catholic Church. 20. Free Churches and Other Churches. 21. Jehovah's Witnesses. 22. The Mormon Church. 23. Christian Science. 24. The African-Caribbean Community. 25. Rastafarianism. 26. The Jewish Faith. 27. Buddhism. 28. The Bahá'i Faith. 29. Islam. 30. Hinduism. 31. Sikhism. 32. Zoroastrians (Parsees). 33. The Chinese Community. 34. The Japanese Community. 35. HIV/AIDS. Appendix A. Organisations which may be able to offer help with various aspects of death. Appendix B. Sources of Advice on Forensic Pathology. Appendix C. Further Reading. Subject Index. Author Index.
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