How One Coroner Is Transforming Death Investigations in the UK

A London coroner's bold changes—from high-tech scanners to diversity initiatives—are reshaping how deaths are investigated. But systemic hurdles still loom.

, and Administrator

2026 May 18 . 5:02 AM

1 min read

The image shows an old newspaper with a drawing of a group of people standing around a casket,... — The image shows an old newspaper with a drawing of a group of people standing around a casket, surrounded by trees, buildings, a bridge, and a body of water. The paper also contains text, likely related to the funeral of the deceased.

How One Coroner Is Transforming Death Investigations in the UK

Coroners in England and Wales investigate deaths that may involve violence, unknown causes, or state detention. The role dates back centuries, with 98 specialists currently covering the two nations. One of them, Nadia Persaud, has pushed for major changes in how these investigations are carried out—including the introduction of a CT scanner for less invasive post-mortems. Nadia Persaud began her career as an assistant coroner in 2009 before becoming a full-time coroner in 2013. Today, she serves as the area coroner for five outer east London boroughs, overseeing a population of nearly 1.5 million. Her court on Queen’s Road deals with a diverse community, including around 350,000 Muslim residents and nearly 10,000 Jewish people.

Beyond her local duties, Persaud holds a national role as the lead coroner for diversity and inclusion. She has worked to improve the collection of diversity data within coroner services, though current response rates remain below 62%. Her efforts also led to the installation of a CT scanner, reducing the need for invasive autopsies. Despite these advances, challenges remain. A shortage of specialist pathologists still causes delays, particularly for post-mortems on children.

Persaud’s work has modernised parts of the coroner system, from technology to data collection. The CT scanner now offers families a less intrusive option during investigations. However, gaps in diversity reporting and pathologist shortages continue to affect the speed and scope of inquiries.