Appointment of assistant deputy coroners
The Lord Chancellor should issue guidance as to the criteria to be adopted in the appointment of assistant deputy coroners.
- The Coroners and Justice Act 2009 reformed the appointment process for coroners. The Chief Coroner, first appointed on 17 September 2012 (His Honour Judge Peter Thornton QC), has oversight of the coroner system including appointment standards.
- Under the 2009 Act, assistant coroners (replacing the former assistant deputy coroner role) must meet prescribed eligibility criteria: they must have a minimum of five years' legal qualification (as a barrister, solicitor, or Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Legal Executives). The Lord Chancellor retains the power to issue guidance on appointment criteria.
- All coroners, including assistant coroners, must attend compulsory annual continuation training. New assistant coroners must complete mandatory induction training before undertaking any inquest work, including inquests in writing.
- The Chief Coroner's guidance notes and bench book provide detailed direction on the standards expected of all coroners including assistant coroners, establishing a framework for consistent practice across the coroner service.
How was this evidence gathered?
Response
Accepted
Response
AcceptedThe government published "Hard Truths: the Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) on 19 November 2013, responding to all 290 recommendations of the Francis Report. This followed an initial response "Patients First and Foremost" in March 2013. Key reforms included a new Chief Inspector of Hospitals, strengthened Care Quality Commission inspection regime, a statutory duty of candour, and the fit and proper person test for NHS directors. Volume 2 (Cm 8754) contains the government's detailed responses to each of the 290 recommendations. See: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a7cd486ed915d63cc65d167/34658_Cm_8777_Vol_1_accessible.pdf
Published Evidence
Published assessments of progress from inspectorates, select committees, official progress reports, and other sources. Source type badge indicates whether each assessment is independent or government self-reported.
Medical Examiner system became statutory from 9 September 2024 under Coroners and Justice Act 2009 (as amended by Health and Care Act 2022). Independent medical examiners must scrutinise all deaths not referred to a coroner. Full national rollout achieved, implementing Francis recommendations on death certification.
Research published 2023 marking ten years since the Francis Report found mixed results. Structural and legislative changes largely delivered (duty of candour, FPPR, CQC overhaul, revalidation, Freedom to Speak Up Guardians). However, cultural change not fully embedded; understaffing, fear of speaking up, and poor complaint handling persist in parts of the NHS.
Government published "Culture Change in the NHS" (Cm 9009) reporting progress on all 290 recommendations. Key achievements: 19 hospitals placed in special measures; those trusts recruited 109 additional doctors and 1,805 additional nurses; 129 board-level changes made; excess avoidable deaths fell by 450 in less than a year.
Government published "Hard Truths: The Journey to Putting Patients First" (Cm 8777) in two volumes. Vol 1 set out new actions; Vol 2 provided detailed response to each of the 290 recommendations. Approximately 204 of 290 recommendations were fully accepted.