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Government plans to probe companies involved in inquests |
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15 July 2008 |
Justice minister Bridget Prentice has announced that from 17 July companies that receive coroner's reports will have to respond explaining how they will prevent future deaths.
The new rules are being introduced ahead of the Coroners and Death Certification Bill.
Justice minister Bridget Prentice has announced that from 17 July companies that receive coroner's reports will have to respond explaining how they will prevent future deaths.
The new rules are being introduced ahead of the Coroners and Death Certification Bill. They will mandate that organisations have to respond to coroners' reports within 56 days and these should be shared with bereaved families.
Reports will all be centrally held so that trends can be identified and monitored, and lessons can be learnt.
Coroners will also have to notify local safeguarding children boards of the death of any child reported to them and supply them with evidence given in an inquest as they are responsible for consulting for conducting reviews into deaths of children.
Announcing the changes, Bridget Prentice said:
'Families often express their wish that something positive might come out of a coroner's inquiry and hope that relevant agencies will take preventative action so that the death of their relative is not in vain.
'Under the new rules we're introducing, organisations will no longer be able to ignore coroners' reports sent to them and will be required to respond. Family members will be provided with copies of both the reports and responses giving them more involvement and a chance to see what preventative action may be taken.'
The move is welcomed by Hannah Rutterford, a partner with Kester Cunningham John and who has worked on several high profile inquests.
'It's certainly a move in the right direction,' she says. 'Families want a proper investigation into the death of a loved one and fortunately coroners now are much more able to offer that reassurance to them than perhaps has been the case sometimes in the past.
'Everything which transforms inquests from a bureaucratic process into a proper investigation is to be welcomed. The government's proposal goes some way towards making the inquest into an effective investigative tool.'
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