Page 81 - When Things Go Wrong

i. All inquest and inquiry professionals should be encouraged through
training, continuing professional development and reflective
processes to empathise with bereaved people and survivors, involving
both active and observational methods, such as sitting in the witness box,
using a video link, sitting in hearings where they themselves are not
acting, and shadowing members of the Coroners Courts Support Service.
ii. Careful consideration should be given to communication in the
hearing to ensure that – as far as possible – the proceedings can be
fully understood by family members and members of the public.

iii. Inquests and inquiries should put systems in place so that
vulnerabilities of any interested persons, core participants or other
witnesses are identified early and appropriate adjustments made to
enable them to effectively participate.

iv. Inquests and inquiries should ensure that bereaved people and
survivors are signposted to appropriately specialist sources of
support for trauma, including at the close of the legal process. 220

Using pen portraits

5.4 A number of our consultees drew attention to the potential value of
incorporating commemorative biographical tributes (“pen portraits”) in both
inquests and inquiries. 221 Patronising Disposition found that “the use of pen
portraits at the fresh Hillsborough inquests helped to put the families at the
heart of proceedings. The process was vital in humanising the inquests and was

220 The Infected Blood Inquiry webpage has a click-through box labelled “confidential support” clearly
visible on the frontpage of its website. This details the telephone counselling service run by the Red
Cross, available to anyone affected by treatment with infected blood or blood products.
221 Some families may wish to accompany a prose biographical portrait with other forms of media.
Bishop James Jones noted (at p. 100, Point of Learning 9(iv)), “allowing a photograph to be displayed
is an important part of putting the family at the centre of an inquest and I can see no proper reason why
a coroner should seek to prevent it. The Chief Coroner should ensure that the practice of allowing a
photograph to be shown is widely adopted”. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry allowed relatives to use video,
music and other media, see Owen Bowcott, ‘All inquiries should use Grenfell’s tributes model, charity
says’ (The Guardian, 30 May 2018).

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