There was an interesting and potentially important statement on the BBC Website about the increasing problem of legal highs in prisons.

The article makes it clear that the Prison Officers’ Association (POA) has written to the chief coroner for England and Wales asking him to investigate the link between prisoner deaths and so-called legal highs.

This is a concern that was highlighted by Inquest in their report in November 2014.

If we are seeing a change of heart where the Prison Officers Association would actually welcome investigations then this is most welcome.

Inquests are some of the most difficult cases that we deal with. There are no winners and often families are left with as many questions as they had when we started. The whole process is supposed to have no parties and no sides. The Coroner’s job is very simple - to ascertain who died, how and in what circumstances.

Over the years we have been involved in looking after families whose lives have been devastated by the lack of care that their loved ones have received. There are far too many cases where the inquest has been conducted in a confrontational fashion and points made which have no bearing on what the Coroner was required to do.

If we are now going to see a new culture of openness and transparency rather than cover up and blame this will be a huge improvement for families in the most desperate of circumstances.

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