Subject: FW: Enquiry regarding historical deaths – William Buckler (1990) and Mary Doreen Williams (1983)
From: Tim Knifton (NWSSP - Information Governance)
Direction: received
Date: Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:56 UTC
Institution: Cardiff and Vale University Health Board
Refs: none
Archive id: gm-1a032c58b0382b4c
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Dear Mr Buckler

Thank you for your email. As the main contact for Freedom of Information, I have not seen your request previously but I will explain what I can in regards to your original request:

I am writing to enquire whether any records or references are held in relation to the following historical deaths that occurred in the Cardiff & Vale / Llandough area:

1. William (Billy) Buckler
   - Died at Llandough Hospital on or about 29 May 1990, aged 41
   - Reported cause: heart attack

2. Mary Doreen Williams
   - Born 10 August 1913
   - Death registered March 1983, South Glamorgan (Vol 28, Page 3029)

Although these pre-date the current Medical Examiner Service, I would be grateful if you could advise whether any legacy records, referrals, or related documentation exist, or direct me to the appropriate archive or department that may hold such information.

The All Wales Medical Examiner Service was introduced on a non-statutory basis in 2019. It operated across Wales to provide independent scrutiny of deaths that were not referred to a coroner so deaths in 1983 and 1990 would not apply in this case. The service became statutory on 9 September 2024, when the death certification reforms came into force in England and Wales. From that date, independent scrutiny by a Medical Examiner became a legal requirement before registration of all non-coronial deaths. Therefore, for deaths in 1983/1990, there would have been no Medical Examiner Service. Death certification would have been carried out by the attending doctor, with referrals made to the coroner where required under the rules that existed at the time. The Medical Examiner system only arrived many decades later.

If both deaths occurred in Secondary Care, Hospitals do maintain records of deaths that occurred in their facilities, but these are not generally public records.

The official legal record of a death is the death certificate registered with the local registrar and held by the General Register Office (GRO). In Wales, you can obtain copies of death certificates dating back before 1983 if the death was registered.  Hospital medical records are usually retained under NHS records management policies and may still exist for deaths in 1983, but access is restricted because they contain confidential medical information.

If you are researching a specific death from 1990 at Llandough Hospital, possible sources are:


  1.  Death certificate from the General Register Office.
  2.  Glamorgan Archives for historical NHS administrative records.
  3.  The relevant NHS body that inherited Llandough Hospital records, now part of Cardiff and Vale University Health Board.
  4.  Coroner's records, if an inquest was held.

In 1990, Llandough Hospital was still an NHS hospital managed through the local health authority system. This was under the South Glamorgan Health Authority, which was responsible for hospitals in the Cardiff and Vale area before NHS trusts were created in the early 1990s and now the Cardiff & Vale University Health Board.

They can be contacted here:

Health Records - Cardiff and Vale University Health Board<https://cavuhb.nhs.wales/our-services/health-records/>

GP records are generally retained for a long period. Under current NHS records management guidance, GP records are typically kept for 10 years after a patient's death before being destroyed so these records would be out of scope.

I have asked our registration team to search both patients and there are no records found for either patients due to the time elapsed.

Further comments have been provided below in red for reference.

I hope that this is an acceptable response.

Yours sincerely,

Tim Knifton, MSc Gwybodeg Iechyd/Health Informatics
Rheolwr Rheoli Gwybodaeth/Information Governance Manager
Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru/NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership
e-bost/ email: [email redacted]<[email redacted]>
Rhyngrwyd • Internet: https://nwssp.nhs.wales/
Twitter: @nwssp<[email redacted]>

Mae PCGC yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg neu Saesneg.
NWSSP welcomes correspondence in Welsh or English.

'Mae'r e-bost hwn ac unrhyw ffeiliau sy'n cyd-fynd gyda’r e-bost hwn, ddim ond ar gyfer defnydd priodol y derbynnydd/ion, a gall gynnwys gwybodaeth sy'n freintiedig, yn gyfrinachol neu eithriedig rhag cael ei ddatgelu. Os nad yw'r darllenydd yn dderbynnydd a fwriadwyd i dderbyn yr e-bost, gwaherddir unrhyw ddatgeliad, dosbarthiad neu unrhyw gamau eraill y cymerwyd neu sydd heb gael eu cymryd gan ddibynnu arno, a gallai fod yn anghyfreithlon. Os ydych wedi derbyn yr e-bost hwn trwy gamgymeriad, dilewch o'ch system ac yn rhowch wybod i'r anfonwr ar unwaith. Bydd y sawl sy’n datgelu unrhyw wybodaeth heb awdurdod i ddatgelu’r wybodaeth a gynhwysir yn yr e-bost yn cael eu gwahardd yn llym.’

‘This e-mail and any files that accompany it are intended only for the appropriate use of the addressee/s, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or exempt from disclosure. If the reader is not an intended recipient, any disclosure, distribution or any action taken or omitted to be taken in reliance on it, is prohibited and may be unlawful. If you have received this e-mail in error, please delete it from your system and notify the sender immediately. Any unauthorised disclosure of the information contained in this e-mail is strictly prohibited, as is use or application of its contents other than for its intended purpose’

________________________________
From: Sion Buckler <[email redacted]<[email redacted]>>
Sent: 21 August 2026 08:44
To: SouthWalesCentral MedicalExaminersOffice (Gen126594) <[email redacted]<[email redacted]>>
Subject: Re: Enquiry regarding historical deaths – William Buckler (1990) and Mary Doreen Williams (1983)

WARNING: External email – take care before clicking links or opening attachments.


Michelle,

Thanks for your prompt response.

I'd like to request an internal review of the handling of my enquiry and, insofar as it constitutes a Freedom of Information request, of the conclusion that no relevant records are held.

I am not challenging the conclusion simply because it is inconvenient to my enquiry. Rather, I would like to establish whether an adequate search was undertaken before the conclusion was reached.

Your latest response states that the Medical Examiner Service would not hold “any records whatsoever” or have “any knowledge” of these patients. Given that the deaths occurred in 1983 and 1990, before the establishment of the current Medical Examiner Service, I would be grateful if the internal review could specifically establish whether the search extended beyond current Medical Examiner records to any relevant predecessor, legacy or transferred records. This would have not been something that the medical examiner would have been able to complete as explained above.

In particular, could the review please confirm:

  1.  What records and information systems were searched; primary care registration system
  2.  Whether any legacy or predecessor records relating to the medical examination or certification of deaths were considered; No legacy records going back to 1983/1990 would be considered as the service concentrates on independent scrutiny of deaths that were not referred to a coroner in the present day
  3.  Whether records relating to Llandough Hospital, where William Buckler is recorded as having died in approximately May 1990, are held by the Medical Examiner Service, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership, another NHS body, or an archive to which you have access or knowledge; As explained above
  4.  Whether any records concerning referrals to a coroner, inquests, post-mortems or other investigations into these deaths would have been held separately from Medical Examiner records;
  5.  Whether the possibility of records having been transferred to an archive or successor organisation was considered; This would have been completed under the old Health Authority and retained for the specific time period under records management policies.
  6.  Whether the statement that no records are held means that no relevant records are held by the South Wales Central Medical Examiner Service specifically, or that searches have established that no such records are held anywhere within NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership; and Medical Examiner was not established until 2019, historic records going back to the 1980s and 1990s would not form part of the remit of the service.
  7.  If the records are not held by your organisation, whether you can identify the appropriate current custodian or archive for any surviving historical records. Explained above

For clarity, the individuals concerned are:

  *   William (Billy) Buckler – died at Llandough Hospital on or about 29 May 1990, aged 41; and
  *   Mary Doreen Williams – born 10 August 1913; death registered in March 1983, South Glamorgan, Vol. 28, p. 3029.

I would be grateful if this could be treated as a formal internal review rather than simply a further general enquiry.

I would also ask that the review be undertaken by someone who was not responsible for the original response, where practicable.

My purpose is to establish a reliable documentary record and, in particular, to distinguish between:

(a) records which do not exist;

(b) records which once existed but have been destroyed;

(c) records which exist but are held by another organisation; and

(d) records which are held within NHS Wales or a predecessor organisation but were not identified by the original search.

I would be grateful for confirmation of the review and, where applicable, the relevant FOI reference number.

Kind regards,

Sion Buckler (Ret'd Sergeant)

Royal Signals Cyber and Electronic Warfare Professional and Life Member

On Fri, 21 Aug 2026, 04:33 SouthWalesCentral MedicalExaminersOffice (Gen126594), <[email redacted]<[email redacted]>> wrote:
Good morning

We would not hold any records whatsoever or have any knowledge of these patients.

Many thanks

Michelle





Swyddfa Ganolog De Cymru South Wales Central Office

Gwasanaeth Archwilio Meddygol Cymru Gyfan  All Wales Medical Examiners Service

Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru  NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership

Ffon Telephone:  [phone redacted]

E-bost  Email: [email redacted]<[email redacted]>

Gwefan Website:  https://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/medical-examiner-service/



Mae Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg.

NHS Wales Shared Services welcomes correspondence in Welsh.

Dw i ddim yn deall Cymraeg. Fodd bynnag mae PCGC yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg neu Saesneg. Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg. Ni fydd gohebu gyda ni yn y Gymraeg yn achosi oedi.

I’m not able to understand Welsh. However NWSSP welcomes correspondence in Welsh or English. We welcome correspondence in Welsh and corresponding with us in Welsh will not lead to delay.



Mae’r neges hon yn gyfrinachol. Os nad chi yw’r derbynnydd y bwriedid y neges a rei gyfer, rhowch wybod I’r anfonwr yn ddioed. Dylid ystyried unrhyw ddatganiadau neu sylwadau a wneir uchod yn rhai personol, ac nid o angenrhaid yn rhai o eiddo Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru, nac unrhyw ran gyfansoddol ohoni na chorff cysylltiedig.

This message is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient of the message then please notify the sender immediately. Any of the statements or comments made above should be regarded as personal and not necessarily those of the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership any constituent part or connected body.



Cofiwch fod yn ymwybodol ei bod yn bosibl y bydd disgwyl Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru roi cyhoeddusrwydd I gynnwys unrhyw e-bost neu ohebiaeth a dderbynnir, yn inol ag amodau’r Ddeddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth 2000.

Please be aware that, under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership may be required to make public the content of any emails or correspondence received.

[cid:image001.png@01DD3197.A1ECB410][cid:image002.png@01DD3197.A1ECB410] [cid:image003.png@01DD3197.A1ECB410]








________________________________
From: Sion Buckler <[email redacted]<[email redacted]>>
Sent: 21 August 2026 08:30
To: SouthWalesCentral MedicalExaminersOffice (Gen126594) <[email redacted]<[email redacted]>>
Subject: Re: Enquiry regarding historical deaths – William Buckler (1990) and Mary Doreen Williams (1983)

You don't often get email from [email redacted]<[email redacted]>. Learn why this is important<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>
WARNING: External email – take care before clicking links or opening attachments.


Dear Michelle,

Thank you for your prompt response and for clarifying that the South Wales Central Medical Examiner Service does not hold records dating back to these deaths.

I appreciate your advice regarding the registrars' offices. I will follow that route.

For completeness, could you please clarify whether, in addition to the registration records, you would expect any historical records relating to these deaths — for example, medical certificates of cause of death, coroner's referrals or inquest records, or archived hospital records — to be held by another NHS body, the coroner's service, or an archive rather than the registrars?

In particular, I am trying to establish the documentary trail surrounding:

  *   William (Billy) Buckler, who died at Llandough Hospital on or about 29 May 1990; and
  *   Mary Doreen Williams, whose death was registered in March 1983 in South Glamorgan (Vol. 28, p. 3029).

I understand that the Medical Examiner Service itself did not exist at the time, so I am simply trying to identify the correct historical custodian of any surviving records.

Thank you again for pointing me in the right direction.

Kind regards,



Sion Buckler Ret'd Sergeant

Royal Signals Cyber and Electronic Warfare Professional and Life Member

On Fri, 21 Aug 2026, 03:55 SouthWalesCentral MedicalExaminersOffice (Gen126594), <[email redacted]<[email redacted]>> wrote:
Good morning

Thank you for your email

Unfortunately, we do not hold ay records dating back this far and Data Protection would not allow us to release these either if they were held.

You would therefore need to contact the registrars office in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan who may be able to assist you further.

Kind regards

Michelle


Micehlle Burnett
MES Operations Support Officer

Swyddfa Ganolog De Cymru South Wales Central Office

Gwasanaeth Archwilio Meddygol Cymru Gyfan  All Wales Medical Examiners Service

Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru  NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership

Ffon Telephone:  [phone redacted]

E-bost  Email: [email redacted]<[email redacted]>

Gwefan Website:  https://nwssp.nhs.wales/ourservices/medical-examiner-service/



Mae Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg.

NHS Wales Shared Services welcomes correspondence in Welsh.

Dw i ddim yn deall Cymraeg. Fodd bynnag mae PCGC yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg neu Saesneg. Rydym yn croesawu gohebiaeth yn y Gymraeg. Ni fydd gohebu gyda ni yn y Gymraeg yn achosi oedi.

I’m not able to understand Welsh. However NWSSP welcomes correspondence in Welsh or English. We welcome correspondence in Welsh and corresponding with us in Welsh will not lead to delay.



Mae’r neges hon yn gyfrinachol. Os nad chi yw’r derbynnydd y bwriedid y neges a rei gyfer, rhowch wybod I’r anfonwr yn ddioed. Dylid ystyried unrhyw ddatganiadau neu sylwadau a wneir uchod yn rhai personol, ac nid o angenrhaid yn rhai o eiddo Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru, nac unrhyw ran gyfansoddol ohoni na chorff cysylltiedig.

This message is confidential. If you are not the intended recipient of the message then please notify the sender immediately. Any of the statements or comments made above should be regarded as personal and not necessarily those of the NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership any constituent part or connected body.



Cofiwch fod yn ymwybodol ei bod yn bosibl y bydd disgwyl Partneriaeth Cydwasanaethau GIG Cymru roi cyhoeddusrwydd I gynnwys unrhyw e-bost neu ohebiaeth a dderbynnir, yn inol ag amodau’r Ddeddf Rhyddid Gwybodaeth 2000.

Please be aware that, under the terms of the Freedom of Information Act 2000, NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership may be required to make public the content of any emails or correspondence received.

[cid:image001.png@01DD3197.A1ECB410][cid:image002.png@01DD3197.A1ECB410] [cid:image003.png@01DD3197.A1ECB410]







________________________________
From: Sion Buckler <[email redacted]<[email redacted]>>
Sent: 20 August 2026 20:33
To: SouthWalesCentral MedicalExaminersOffice (Gen126594) <[email redacted]<[email redacted]>>
Subject: Enquiry regarding historical deaths – William Buckler (1990) and Mary Doreen Williams (1983)

You don't often get email from [email redacted]<[email redacted]>. Learn why this is important<https://aka.ms/LearnAboutSenderIdentification>
WARNING: External email – take care before clicking links or opening attachments.

Dear Medical Examiner Service (South Wales Central),

I am writing to enquire whether any records or references are held in relation to the following historical deaths that occurred in the Cardiff & Vale / Llandough area:

1. William (Billy) Buckler
   - Died at Llandough Hospital on or about 29 May 1990, aged 41
   - Reported cause: heart attack

2. Mary Doreen Williams
   - Born 10 August 1913
   - Death registered March 1983, South Glamorgan (Vol 28, Page 3029)

Although these pre-date the current Medical Examiner Service, I would be grateful if you could advise whether any legacy records, referrals, or related documentation exist, or direct me to the appropriate archive or department that may hold such information.

Thank you for your assistance.

Yours faithfully,

Sion Buckler (Ret'd Sergeant)
Royal Signals Cyber and Electronic Warfare Professional and Life Member