A Clinician's Brief Guide to the Coroner's Court and Inquests

‘Healthcare professionals called to give evidence in coroners’ inquests may find the anticipation and the reality daunting. This guide demystifies and explains the process and offers reassurance and practical advice to minimise clinicians’ concerns and ensure that their understanding of their duties and responsibilities to the court are clear and unambiguous.’ Jason Payne-James, Specialist in Forensic & Legal Medicine and Consultant Forensic Physician; Lead Medical Examiner, Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital‘I read A Clinician’s Brief Guide to the Coroner’s Court and Inquests with interest. I have attended the coroner’s court several times over my medical career, with varying amounts of support and guidance. I do wish my 28-year-old self had had access to such a useful real-world guide, written with such practicality and humanity. The court is complex, serving the law, the bereaved families, and future patients in terms of lessons learned. The guide takes you through this with expert contributors in a way that is both readable and clear, and would make the experience better for all potential professional attendees, and help them to serve the multilayered mission of the court to families, the law and future users of our health services. It will be a useful reference for health professionals for years to come and fills an important gap in the literature.’ Chris Streather, Regional Medical Director NHSE London

Dr Gabrielle Pendlebury is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and was previously a medico-legal adviser. She has valuable experience of supporting doctors with inquests and navigating the personal and professional challenges that arise.

Professor Derek Tracy is the Chief Medical Officer of South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, an honorary Professor at Brunel University Medical School and a Senior Lecturer at King’s, Imperial and University College London. He has published over 130 peer-reviewed scientific papers and 15 book chapters. He is also the Editor for public engagement at the British Journal of Psychiatry.