Inquest backlog down 27% - as officials warn it will never be eliminated

Factors outside service’s control make it an unrealistic ambition, councillors told

- Phil Corrigan

OFFICIALS have hailed a ‘hugely positive’ reduction in Staffordshire’s inquest backlog.

The number of cases where families have been waiting more than 12 months to find out why their loved ones died has fallen from 136 to 99 - 27% — over the past year.

This follows the recruitment of a temporary area coroner to increase capacity, with the role now set to be extended for another year.

But senior coroner Andrew Barkley says it would be ‘unrealistic’ to expect the backlog to be eliminated entirely, owing to factors beyond the service's control, such as ongoing police investigations.

The service is jointly funded by Staffordshire County Council and Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Last December councillors agreed to provide £131,200 to fund a temporary coroner for 12 months to help bring down the number of cases going over the statutory six-month time limit.