The HTA welcomes the Justice Secretary’s decision to reinstate the post of Chief Coroner

Human Tissue Authority statement

Issue date: 23 November 2011

HTA Chair Baroness Diana Warwick said: “The Chief Coroner post has the potential to ensure that Coroners and their Officers fulfil their functions in a more consistent manner and in a way that ensures public confidence and the wishes of the bereaved and their families are respected.”

“We have found that poor communications between Coroners, pathologists and families about post-mortem examination and tissue retention can lead to significant distress to bereaved families.”

“Tissue can only be retained without consent for Coronial or criminal justice purposes. Consent is needed from families of the bereaved when tissue is retained for purposes under the Human Tissue Act, and poor communication can lead to its inadvertent unauthorised retention. Anything that improves communication can only be a good thing in supporting public confidence that consent, when needed, is properly in place.”

“The HTA is optimistic that the Chief Coroner can make improvements through policy, training and development of Coroners and their Officers, and we look forward to the post being filled.”

Notes to editors

• In October 2011 we responded to the consultation on proposals in the Public Bodies Bill related to reforming the public bodies of the Ministry of Justice. In our response, we expressed concern about the proposed transfer of the Chief Coroner’s functions to the Lord Chief Justice and Lord Chancellor, and what that might mean for communication between Coroners, pathologists and families.
• With the interests of the public and those we regulate at the centre of our work, the HTA aims to maintain confidence by ensuring that human tissue is used safely and ethically, and with proper consent. We regulate organisations that remove, store and use tissue for research, medical treatment, post-mortem examination, teaching and display in public. We also give approval for organ and bone marrow donations from living people.

For more information please contact Fiona McKinson, Communication Officer at the Human Tissue Authority on 020 7269 1959 or fiona.mckinson@hta.gov.uk or Sarah-Jane Wakefield, Head of Communications on 020 7269 1958 or sarah-jane.wakefield@hta.gov.uk. For out-of-hours media enquiries please call 020 7269 1914.