
About the Coroner
A coroner is an independent judicial office holder, appointed by a local council.
Coroners usually have a legal background but will also be familiar with medical terminology.
Coroners investigate deaths that have been reported to them if it appears that:
- the death was violent or unnatural
- the cause of death is unknown
- the person died in prison, police custody, or another type of state detention.
In these cases coroners must investigate to find out, for the benefit of bereaved people and for official records, who has died and how, when, and where they died.
More information on what to expect is at: www.gov.uk/after-a-death/when-a-death-is-reported-to-a-coroner
Inquest
If it was not possible to find out the cause of death from the post-mortem examination, or the death is found to be unnatural, the coroner has to hold an inquest.
An inquest is a public court hearing held by the coroner in order to establish who died and how, when and where the death occurred.
The inquest will be held as soon as possible and normally within 6 months of the death if at all possible.
If the death occurred in prison or custody, or if it resulted from an accident at work, there will usually be a jury at the inquest.
The coroner (or jury) comes to a conclusion at the end of an inquest:
- legal ‘determination’ stating who died, and where, when and how they died
- ‘findings’ to allow the cause of death to be registered.
When recording the cause the coroner or jury may use one of the following terms:
- Accident or misadventure
- Alcohol/drug related
- Industrial disease
- Lawful killing
- Unlawful killing
- Natural cause
- Open
- Road traffic collision
- Stillbirth
- Suicide
The coroner or jury may also make a brief ‘narrative’ conclusion setting out the facts surrounding the death in more detail and explaining the reasons for the decision.
Coventry Guidance
Coventry Coroner
Contact us:
Telephone: 024 76 97 55 09
New Email: coroner@coventry.gov.uk (NOT coroner@coventry.GCSX.gov.uk)
Rugby Guidance
HM Coroner for Warwickshire: Sean McGovern
Warwickshire Justice CentreNewbold Terrace
Leamington Spa
CV32 4EL
Online Portal for Coronial Referral in Warwickshire
The Coroner advises that he has moved to a new electronic system of referring deaths to him.
This makes things easier and quicker for both GP’s and Coroner’s staff so making the referral process quicker, providing a better service to bereaved families.
Hospital Dr’s and the Police have been using the new system for a number of months now resulting in an improved service.
The Coroner requests that, when referring a death, GPs access the Coroner’s web page on the Warwickshire County Council Website using the following link:
https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/coroner
Referral Process
- Click on the “Refer a death to the Coroner” portal on the page and type in their referral.
- Then choose “Referrer category GP”and “Referrer code GP01” on the second page.
- At the top of the second page there is also a facility to attach documents such as brief medical summary’s etc.
- At the end of the form, click ‘submit’ and the referral will come direct to us.
- Once submit is pressed there is the option for the GP to save or print the document.
- It is that easy and completely secure.
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