Coroners’ warnings must carry the force of law | Letters

Christine and Francis Saunders cannot know if improvements suggested by the coroner’s inquest into the death of their daughter have been implemented. Plus a letter from two doctors on safeguarding adults reviews

We wholeheartedly agree that prevention of future deaths (PFD) reports issued by coroners should have legal force in order to save lives (The Guardian view on the coroner’s role: if deaths can be prevented, they should be, 8 October). We proposed this last December to Maria Caulfield, then Department of Health and Social Care parliamentary under-secretary of state: she listened kindly but made no response.

Each inquest investigates an individual tragedy and is harrowing for bereaved relatives: describing your child’s life and death in court is distressing. Fortunately, the coroner investigating the death of our daughter Juliet Saunders was both thorough and kind: he described Juliet as “student” on her death certificate, disregarding her learning disabilities. He found that neglect had contributed to her death and issued a PFD as he could not see that the trust concerned had taken preventive action.

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