The grieving family who says the coroner's courts aren't working
Summary
The coroner’s court system in parts of the UK is experiencing major delays and problems, making it difficult for families to find answers after unexpected deaths. Daniel Lindsay’s family faced a stressful and confusing process during his inquest, highlighting issues like backlogs, underfunding, and a shortage of pathologists who perform post-mortems.Key Facts
- Coroners investigate deaths that are unexpected, violent, or happen in state care.
- Daniel Lindsay, who had Down Syndrome and diabetes, died unexpectedly in 2023 at a care home in Surrey.
- Nearly 148,000 deaths were reported to coroners in England and Wales last year; about 25% had formal inquests.
- Post-mortems, which help determine cause of death, are delayed due to too few pathologists and low pay.
- Some families wait up to a year for post-mortem results because of these shortages.
- Courts often have poor facilities like bad acoustics or uncomfortable rooms, adding to families' stress.
- Experts warn the coronial system is in crisis and underfunded by the government despite growing demand.
- Family members report feeling overwhelmed and frustrated by the legal and emotional challenges during inquests.
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