Between June and September 2019 the Scottish Government undertook an online consultation on its proposed Funeral Director: Code of Practice. The consultation was comprised of 18 questions, and collected information in both survey and open-ended comment format. The initial analysis of responses was conducted in late 2019, however the onset of the coronavirus pandemic in early 2020 resulted in a delay to publishing the analysis report.
The consultation received 86 responses (52 from organisations and 34 from individuals). Respondents generally supported the Code and its intentions. A majority of respondents who were funeral directors expressed that they were mostly or fully compliant with the Code in its draft form. However, the consultation also provided valuable feedback on, and critiques of, the Code by respondents. For example, the majority of respondents noted that the Code would not be a barrier to funeral businesses' plans for expansion, or innovation in the industry. However, respondents additionally noted that significant investment by funeral directors might be required to meet the Code's requirements.
The consultation responses have been analysed and an analysis report has been published.
The Scottish Government will be taking steps to consider the draft Code in light of responses received. This includes further consideration of accreditation of funeral directors (and embalmers), given that respondents generally expected these groups to require accredited qualifications to practice. Additionally, the Scottish Government will be seeking further views from small, independent, or rural funeral director organisations. This is because of the potential impact the Code may have on these businesses, as reported by consultation respondents, and the relatively few responses received to the consultation from small or rural funeral directors. We have invited these members of the funeral industry to participate in focus groups in early March 2021, to discuss the draft Code, and their feedback will further inform our revisions of the Code.
Between June and September 2019 the Scottish Government undertook an online consultation on its proposed Funeral Director: Code of Practice. The consultation received 86 responses. Respondents generally supported the Code and its intentions, and also provided valuable feedback on the Code.
View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.
This is a consultation on a statutory Funeral Director: Code of Practice. Funeral directors will be inspected against this Code once it comes into force and will be legally obliged to meet its requirements.
The Code was developed with input from a funeral director industry working group chaired by the Inspector of Funeral Directors, and including funeral director representatives.
We want to continue to work in partnership with the funeral industry in driving up standards of care of Scotland's deceased. Consultation on a document that aims to do just that is at the centre of this partnership.
It is important the people who will be affected by the Code are given the opportunity to comment on all aspects of the content of the Code, so that we can understand the impact it will have on funeral directors and the funeral industry. We want people to take their time to read the Code in full and then answer the consultation questions. That way we can ensure we are taking full consideration of peoples' views.
The questions in the consultation target aspects of the Code we believe will have the biggest impact on funeral directors when the Code comes into force. However, we are equally interested in capturing comments on all aspects of the Code and so have provided space to capture those as well.
Once the consultation has closed, our team will analyse the responses and consider each carefully, feeding those back into the Code of Practice.
The Code will next be published so that all funeral directors can see it and begin working towards meeting its requirements before it is laid in Parliament and comes into force.
Once the consultation has closed, our team will analyse the responses and consider each carefully, feeding those back into the Code of Practice.
The Code will next be published so that all funeral directors can see it and begin working towards meeting its requirements before it is laid in Parliament and comes into force.
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