The long wait bereaved families are facing for an inquest to be heard on the Isle of Wight has been criticised by a concerned councillor.
Cllr Clare Mosdell (pictured) raised the ‘significant service issues’ in the Coroner’s Office at a meeting of the Isle of Wight Council’s health and scrutiny committee on Monday.
Mosdell: It drags out the agony
Cllr Mosdell said she knew a family who have been waiting for two years to hear the outcome of an inquest after one of their relatives died in a ‘very serious’ accident.
Asking whether the committee could look into and address the problem, Cllr Mosdell said,
“I do not think it is acceptable for families to wait that length of time; it drags out the agony.”
Coroner declined to comment
The Isle of Wight’s Coroner, Caroline Sumeray, said she was unable to comment on individual cases.
Inquests were paused on the Island over the Covid pandemic with Mrs Sumeray previously saying she ‘would not put lives at risk to investigate a death’ as Covid case rates were so high.
Cases were heard physically between September and October last year but another lockdown halted proceedings again.
Remote inquests
In April this year, inquests resumed but are being heard remotely instead of in the courtroom, with family, press and other parties present through telephone and video connections.
In the current Coroner’s court listings, dates of death range from as recently as July 2021 to over 18 months ago, in February 2019.
Sumeray: ‘No oversight of the cleaning’
Commenting on the pause in proceedings in February this year, Mrs Sumeray had concerns about using shared facilities at the Island’s combined courts in Newport as she had ‘no oversight of the cleaning’ carried out between hearings.
The room inquests are usually heard in would also not comply with government guidance, she said, as there are no windows for ventilation.
Protection for small team vital
Mrs Sumeray said,
“It is important my small team do not become unwell, as the role of the coroner’s office would grind to a halt, causing immense difficulties for all those who have dealings with us.”
The Coroner’s office had been in regular contact with bereaved families, Mrs Sumeray said, and the public had been ’eminently reasonable and understanding in relation to their expectations’.
Council officers advised members the matter was not something for them to look at, but the request would instead be passed on to the corporate scrutiny committee.
Article edit
8.30am 24th Aug 2022 – Corrected “has declined to comment” to “unable to comment on individual cases”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is part of. Read here to find about more about how that scheme works on the Island. Some alterations and additions may have been made by News OnTheWight. Ed
