As appropriate to the circumstances, patients and relatives should be advised as follows.

a. The role of The Royal College of Pathologists is to provide professional and/or pathology advice to employing organisations when concerns are raised about the performance of an individual(s).

b. When relevant, patients and relatives should be advised to use complaints procedures afforded by the NHS. As there may be differences in the procedures in the four principalities of the UK, please refer enquirers to the following links from the Citizens Advice Bureau:

England:
www.adviceguide.org.uk/index/family_parent/health/nhs_complaints.htm

Northern Ireland:
www.adviceguide.org.uk/nireland/family_parent/health_northern_ireland/nhs_complaints.htm

Scotland:
www.adviceguide.org.uk/scotland/family_parent/health_scotland/nhs_complaints_scotland.htm

Wales:
www.adviceguide.org.uk/wales/family_parent/health/nhs_complaints_wales.htm

c. The College is not a regulatory, registration or disciplinary body. Serious concerns about the conduct or performance of a pathologist should be referred to the General Medical Council.

d. Complaints about coroner’s autopsies should be taken up directly with the coroner who commissioned the investigation.

e. It is not the College’s role to operate a register of pathologists who could provide expert advice in individual cases.