Death certifications

Authority	Cabinet Office
Date received	2021-07-22
Outcome	Some information sent but not all held
Outcome date	2021-08-10
Case ID	1919133

Summary

The requester asked for all death certificates or a list of deaths 'from' and 'with' COVID-19 for 2019, 2020, and 2021. The Cabinet Office disclosed a spreadsheet containing death registration data for 2020 and the first half of 2021, but confirmed they do not hold the actual certificates and noted there were no COVID-19 deaths in 2019.

Key Facts

The Cabinet Office does not hold physical death certificates; these are held by the Civil Registry.
Public Health receives weekly spreadsheets containing cause of death information but excludes the name of the person who registered the death.
There were no deaths due to COVID-19 recorded in 2019.
Data for 2020 is fully coded to distinguish between deaths 'from' and 'with' COVID-19.
Data for 2021 has not yet been coded, so the distinction relies on the narrative within the death certificate.

Data Disclosed

2019
2020
2021
first 6 months of 2021
1919133
2021-07-22
2021-08-10
3 pages
1 document

Original Request

Please supply ALL of the death certificates 'from' covid for the years including 2019, 2020 & 2020. If the certificates are not allowed then please supply a list of the deaths by dates and age of persons with covid as the reason for death. Also please provide the same as above for those that died 'with' covid?

Data Tables (7)

When a d	eath is	registered,				a c	ertificate			is c	ompleted			that		same		information
transferre	d onto	a	spreadsheet				which		P	ublic	Health,		Cabinet			Offic		e	receive		weekly
(though i	t excludes		the	person			who	registered t				he death).			This		contains			th	e	cause	s	of
death an	d so Publi		c Health		c	an	see	thos		e th	at a	re from		COVID-19				pneumonia.

Public He	alth, Cabinet				do	not		hold	death		certificates			, P	ublic		Health		just			the
informati	on that	is	contained		on	a	c	ertificat		e. To	produce		t	he	FOI		request		P	ublic	Health
have use	d their	database		of	information				becaus		e it	contains			the	same		information				as
what is o	n a certificate

															egistry
death cer		tificates,	however,		you	would		nee	d to	contact	them		directly		as	to	whethe
they can		be released.		Death	certificates			would p		rovide	cause		and	the	extra		information
of	who it	was that	registered		th	e	death	i.e.	the r	elative’	s	name.


Civil Registry
The Registries Building
Deemsters Walk
Bucks Road
Douglas
Isle of Man
IM1 3AR
E-mail: civil@registry.gov.im
Telephone: +44 1624 687039

There				were		n	o		death			s d	ue to	COVID-19			for	2019	.		he	death				registration		information
of		COVID			deaths						for	2020 an		d the	first	6	months		of		2021		is		supplied.

Data			for		2	02	0	is		fully		coded		so underlyin						g	cause			codes			show				where			a		death			was
directly					been		caused					by	COVID-19			or			something					else		was		the			cause			but				the	individual
had		recently					had				COVID-19.			This	i	s	how			we		determine					th	e	'from'				and			'with’.

Data		for	2	02	1	has		no	t y	et be	en	coded			so	we		rely	on	th	e n	arrative		within		the		death
certificate				to	determine					'from	' and		'with’.

Full Response Text

Government Office Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3PN Telephone: (+44) 01624 686244 Website: www.gov.im/co

Our ref: 1919133 10 August 2021

Dear ###

We write further to your request which was received on 22 July 2021 and which states:

"Please supply ALL of the death certificates 'from' covid for the years including 2019, 2020 & 2020. If the certificates are not allowed then please supply a list of the deaths by dates and age of persons with covid as the reason for death. Also please provide the same as above for those that died 'with' covid?"

Our response to your request is as follows: "Please supply ALL of the death certificates 'from' covid for the years including 2019, 2020 & 2020. We have taken this to mean 2019, 2020 and 2021. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold the information that you have requested. When a death is registered, a certificate is completed – that same information is then transferred onto a spreadsheet which Public Health, Cabinet Office receive weekly (though it excludes the person who registered the death). This contains the causes of death and so Public Health can see those that are from COVID-19 pneumonia. Public Health, Cabinet Office do not hold death certificates, Public Health just hold the information that is contained on a certificate. To produce the FOI request Public Health have used their database of information because it contains the same information as what is on a certificate. Death certificates may be available from the Civil Registry. The Civil Registry do hold death certificates, however, you would need to contact them directly as to whether they can be released. Death certificates would provide cause and the extra information of who it was that registered the death i.e. the relative’s name. https://www.gov.im/categories/births-deaths-and-marriages/order-copy-certificates/

Enquiries about obtaining death certificates should therefore be made to: Civil Registry The Registries Building Deemsters Walk Bucks Road Douglas Isle of Man IM1 3AR E-mail: civil@registry.gov.im Telephone: +44 1624 687039 If the certificates are not allowed then please supply a list of the deaths by dates and age of persons with covid as the reason for death. Also please provide the same as above for those that died 'with' covid?" I have enclosed a spreadsheet of the information that is held. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Cabinet Office does not hold some of the information that you have requested. There were no deaths due to COVID-19 for 2019. The death registration information of COVID deaths for 2020 and the first 6 months of 2021 is supplied.

Data for 2020 is fully coded so underlying cause codes show where a death was directly been caused by COVID-19 or something else was the cause but the individual had recently had COVID-19. This is how we determine the 'from' and 'with’. Data for 2021 has not yet been coded so we rely on the narrative within the death certificate to determine 'from' and 'with’. Please quote the reference number 1919133 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

If you are unhappy with this response to your freedom of information request, you may ask us to carry out an internal review of the response, by completing a complaint form and submitting it electronically or by delivery/post.

An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded. If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on;

Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or
Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi. I will now close your request as of this date.

Yours sincerely