Coroner service reform

iPM listener, Deborah Southon emailed us to say she's been waiting almost two years for an inquest after her daughter, Grace Turner, died in a car accident in August 2006.

As a result, we took a closer look at the coroner system in England and Wales. We blogged about it last week and our report was broadcast on Saturday's programme. You can listen to the full report below.

There is widespread agreement that the Coroner's system needs to be reformed, but despite recommendations coming out in 2003 in response to the Harold Shipman case, nothing has yet been done.

In 2006, the Coroners' Reform Bill ran out of parliamentary time. In 2007, it was the same story. However, it has appeared today in the Government's draft leglislative programme for the coming session and PM is picking up the story again tonight.

Listen to the full report broadcast on Saturday's iPM programme.

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An extended interview with Deborah Southon. Deborah describes the delay and the impact it's having on her family.

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An extended interview with Helen Shaw, coroner reform campaigner. Helen works for Inquest, an organisation that's been campaigning for reform of the coroner system for a number of years.

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An extended interview with Tom Luce, who chaired Coroner's Review Group 2001-2003. Tom is an independent consultant. He's had a long career in the civil service and chaired the original review group which recommended significant changes to the coronery system back in 2003. Five years on, he now believes there are areas where the government's attitude is best described as negligent.

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