Widow seeks to change 'overwhelming' inquest process

Caroline Roodhouse's world turned upside down when her husband, Steve, died by suicide in 2018.

The mum-of-two from Basingstoke was left widowed and a single parent, then had to attend an inquest to determine how, when and where her husband had died.

She said the process was "horrendous" and is now working with other volunteers to run sessions for coroner staff to improve the process.

The Chief Coroner, who is the judicial head of the coroner system, declined to comment on the campaign.

"We'd been together for 18 years and he'd never mentioned having mental health issues, he'd never made an attempt before that I was aware of," Caroline said.

"There's that feeling of being completely inadequate. If I'd have been a better wife, or a better person... maybe he would've stayed.

"I was furious because we told each other everything, and he never thought to mention this."

Caroline said her life felt defined as "before Steve's death" and "after". Things now were "unrecognisable", she said.

Her husband's suicide and the aftermath left her suffering with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and she believes the inquest process contributed to that diagnosis.

An inquest is an investigation into a death that appears to be due to unknown, violent or unnatural causes.

It is led by a coroner at a coroners' court, where a conclusion will be determined and later put on the death certificate.

Caroline said: "The whole experience was just completely overwhelming and alien and cold. I've never been able to forget how difficult that was."

Information heard at inquests often includes details from witnesses, emergency services and pathologists about the events leading up to the person's death.

Caroline recalled hearing evidence from the police officer who had found her husband, as well as his work colleagues, and then being questioned herself.

"It was just an overwhelming, horrendous experience", she said.

Caroline is now volunteering with the charity Speak Their Name.

She runs remote sessions for coroners and court staff to share her own experience of bereavement from suicide.

The programme includes feedback from bereaved families, alongside examples of best practice from across the coroner's service.

The volunteers want to create an understanding of what it is like to be part of an inquest from the other side, and recommend 10 small changes to how families experience the inquest process.

These include considering the court environment, offering more guidance before and after the inquest and signposting to external support.

Coroner services are run locally as independent judicial office holders and can decide individually whether to engage with such programmes.

"People have come along with an open mind," Caroline said.

"We've had individuals say it's opened their eyes to the process and the way that people experience it to the opposite end they're coming in."

"All of these things would have made a massive difference to me."