The Medical Devices training team organised a mock Coroner's Court to raise awareness on the importance of device training, documentation and communication.

And with support from the Medical Illustration team, it was filmed* for colleagues who may need to attend a Coroner's Court and haven't been to one before.

Our Medical Devices training co-ordinator Jayne Blakey asked Assistant Coroner to Birmingham and Solihull, Ana Samuel to come along after meeting her at a National Association of Medical Device Educators and Trainers (NAMDET) National conference. Ana was also kind enough to pull the case together including questions on one of our own devices. 

Ana (photo below) told us “It was an absolute pleasure to deal with Jayne and the legal team leading up to the mock inquest. Their attention to detail ensured that the event was planned to perfection, with everyone understanding their role in the process."

There were CHFT colleagues in starring roles (see attached), including our Head of Legal Services, Complaints & Patient Advice, Gerard Curran. He said: "I've been involved in real court cases before and these questions and the way the coroner handled them were absolutely spot-on - really realistic.

"We had to condense it into a tight timeframe for the filming. Real cases can last quite a bit longer, especially if a family is involved and they need to ask questions."

Here are just some of the feedback the event received.

Sarah Hoyle Consultant- It was a really useful event. I found it much more helpful watching a simulation than listening to a presentation about what to expect – was much more engaging and realistic. The coroner was fantastic. It is so valuable for all doctors (and MDT) prior to reality!

Karen Turkington Team Coordinator Dietetics- Just wanted to say a big thank you for putting on the mock coroner's court last week, it was very thought provoking,  enlightening and scary all at the same time.  A really practical way to put the issues forward so thank you again for all the hard work that went on to arrange this event

Gavin Boyd Consultant- I thought it was excellent. It felt very ‘real’ – I certainly gained a valuable insight into the process, and walked away with it buzzing in my head re the importance of documentation which I have reiterated to my team.

Qusva Ilyas Matron - Very useful event. Given it is inevitable to have to attend one some pre knowledge has been greatly appreciated. 

Andrea Byrne Nutritional Specialist Nurse- Thank you for giving me the opportunity to attend this event Jayne, I found it to be a very useful learning experience. The Coroner came across as very professional in her role but at the same time showed empathy towards healthcare staff and appeared to have a good understanding of how attending a coroners court may be a daunting prospect to them. I felt that through the event she explained in detail the key differences between the coroner's court and civil/criminal courts.

Sanjay Kumar Consultant- This was a well organised and very good session. This does clearly give me insight of what to expect in a coroner's court.

* The film is due to be completed soon. We'll share where it is on the intranet and other channels. Once ready it will also be used for revalidation.