Articles by ‘Ali Batchelor’

In welcome news, the government has announced a consultation on plans to bring in new investigative powers for coroners to investigate the cause of stillbirths, and to consider where lessons can be learnt to improve maternal and fetal care during pregnancy. Ali Cloak considers this announcement as well as what it may mean for bereaved parents and the wider public, should it become a reality.

The Ministry of Justice has recently released its report which considered automatic provision of legal aid for bereaved families in state-related deaths. Ali Cloak gives her view on the report, and explains why it fails to redress the inequality of arms suffered by many bereaved families involved in an inquest.

Christmas can be an especially hard time when you’ve experienced bereavement. Ali Cloak, specialist in inquests and fatal claims, shares some tips for managing through the holiday period.

On 3 December 2018 Group B Strep Support (GBSS) published its report entitled “The cost of group B strep infection”. The charity is dedicated to eradicating group B strep (GBS) infections in babies, and their report makes a number of recommendations for achieving this aim whilst also saving the NHS money.

Medical devices have dominated the news this week, following the release of a report by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists. Ali Cloak takes a look into ‘The Implant Files’ investigation.

On 31 August 2018 the Health Service Journal revealed that many more cases of concerning care have been uncovered at the NHS maternity service, which is already under investigation for 23 other cases where families have been failed.

Ali Cloak takes a look at the latest development on the Parental Bereavement Bill, which is now set to become law, and what this means for bereaved parents.

In a judgment published on 26 July 2018, the High Court has changed the legal test to be applied in inquests when determining whether or not a person committed suicide.

An inquest into the death of a loved one is a difficult and emotional process. Without legal representation, it is the task of the families themselves to ask the right questions during the inquest to try and get vital answers about the circumstances of their loved one’s death. However, in the past the government has made this more difficult than it needs to be. So have recent calls to change been heeded?