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| title | chunk | source | category | tags | date_saved | instance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coroner | 4/6 | https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coroner | reference | science, encyclopedia | 2026-05-05T10:09:50.552754+00:00 | kb-cron |
The coroner service in England and Wales is supervised by the Chief Coroner, a judge appointed by the Lord Chief Justice after consulting the Lord Chancellor. The Chief Coroner provides advice, guidance and training to coroners and aims to secure uniformity of practice throughout England and Wales. The post is currently part-time. The present Chief Coroner is Alexia Durran. England and Wales are divided into coroner districts by the Lord Chancellor, each district consisting of the area or areas of one or more local authorities. The relevant local authority, with the consent of the Chief Coroner and the Lord Chancellor, must appoint a senior coroner for the district. It must also appoint area coroners (in effect deputies to the senior coroner) and assistant coroners, to the number that the Lord Chancellor considers necessary in view of the physical character and population of the district. The cost of the coroner service for the district falls upon the local authority or authorities concerned, and thus ultimately upon the local inhabitants. There are 98 coroners in England and Wales, covering 109 local authority areas. To become a coroner in England and Wales the applicant must be a qualified solicitor, barrister, or a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives (CILEx) with at least five years' qualified experience. This reflects the role of a coroner: to determine the cause of death of a deceased in cases where the death was sudden, unexpected, occurred abroad, was suspicious in any way, or happened while the person was under the control of central authority (e.g., in police custody). Until 2013 a qualified medical practitioner could be appointed, but that is no longer possible. Any medical coroner still in office will either have been appointed before 2013, or, exceptionally, will hold both medical and legal qualifications. Formerly, every justice of the High Court was ex officio a coroner for every district in England and Wales. This is no longer so; there are now no ex officio coroners. A senior judge is sometimes appointed ad hoc as a deputy coroner to undertake a high-profile inquest, such as those into the deaths of Diana, Princess of Wales and the victims of the 2005 London bombings. Coroners have a legal duty to issue prevention of future death reports to people, organisations, local authorities, government departments or agencies, when they believe action should be taken that may prevent future deaths. This duty is detailed within the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (paragraph 7 of schedule 5). Such reports have been issued to the government, councils, landlords and mental health trusts. Thematic analysis of prevention of future death reports within healthcare, identified common themes, including deficit in skill or knowledge, missed, delayed or uncoordinated care, communication and cultural issues, systems issues and lack of resources. 36 reports detailed concerns that they were having to repeat the same problems, to the same organisations, that were outlined in previous prevention of future deaths reports. The prevention of future deaths report for Awaab Ishak, influenced future legislation, known as Awaab’s Law this was introduced in July 2023 as part of the Social Housing (Regulation) Act. In 2017, legislative changes took place to the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards. This impacted people who die whilst deprived of their liberty, on the grounds of mental health, as from the 3 April 2017, a person subject to DoLS is not considered to be in state detention and therefore, any deaths on or after this date are no longer required to be reported to the coroner. In September 2024, further legislative changes took place that will allow medical practitioners to complete a medical certificate cause of death, if they had attended the deceased in their lifetime, rather than within the last 28 days, which will greatly reduce the number of deaths being referred to the coroner service.
==== Northern Ireland ==== Coronial services in Northern Ireland are broadly similar to those in England and Wales, including dealing with treasure trove cases under the Treasure Act 1996. Northern Ireland has three coroners, who oversee the province as a whole. They are assisted by coroners' liaison officers and a medical officer.