The role of the district nurse when involved in the coronial process

The inquisition into the death of Diana, Princess of Wales has highlighted the role of the coroner in the investigation of the cause of death in England and Wales. The coroner provides an important safeguard to an administrative system for the registration of deaths in the United Kingdom that relies heavily on a doctor to confirm the cause of death. Coroners are required to hold an inquest where the person has died a violent or unnatural death, has died suddenly from an unknown cause or has died in custody or at the hands of the police or where an inquest is required by statute. District nurses will encounter death in such circumstances during the course of their duties and the coroner's court is the most likely court where a district nurse will be called to give evidence. It is essential you know the duties of the coroner and what is expected when giving evidence at an inquest. Following the inquiry into the case of Dr Harold Shipman the government is proposing changes to the coroner's role that will have an impact on district nurse practice (The Shipman inquiry, 2004). In a series of articles Richard Griffith and Cassam Tengnah review the role of the coroner and consider the impact of reform on district nurse practice.