The Defence Inquests Unit
The DIU is the MOD's departmental focal point for the coordination and management of all Defence-related inquests into the deaths of service and MOD civilian personnel whilst at work.
Background
There and Not There – Remembrance Day cut out. Copyright: Ministry of Defence images.
The Defence Inquests Unit (DIU) was formed in May 2008 at Army Headquarters in Andover in response to the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) wish to improve the service provided to coroners investigating the deaths of service personnel and, by extension, bereaved service families.
The DIU has evolved since 2008 and its remit has expanded from initially only assisting coronial investigations into operational fatalities to now offering to provide support to all inquests examining the death of a service person, a MOD civilian or a veteran.
The DIU moved from Army HQ Andover to MOD Main Building on March 2016. The DIU now sits under Director, Directorate Judicial Engagement Policy (DJEP).
Family Remember loss of a loved one Copyright: Ministry of Defence images.
The Role of the DIU
DIU exists in recognition of the huge debt owed to its personnel and to their families and the firm commitment from the Senior levels of the MOD to the proper and sustained support to coroners, bereaved families and to MOD Service and civilian personnel throughout an inquest. Our key role in DIU is to assist coroners so that they complete their inquests fully, thoroughly, and as quickly as possible, so bereaved families can find the answers they need about their loved one’s death.
The team within the DIU are a mixture of experienced civilian and military staff who strive to offer the best possible service to coroners. They also provide support to witnesses and bereaved families prior to attendance at an inquest to give them an insight into how the process works and what to expect. The team fully recognise that attendance at an inquest can be a traumatic experience and they do their best to provide high quality support to both families and witnesses.
A key part of the DIU is ensuring that the Department reflects on the findings of a Defence-related inquest and ensures that, where possible, the organisation learns lessons and makes changes to prevent similar future deaths. On behalf of the MOD, the DIU strives to support an inquest fully, regardless of any reputational damage that the Department or Service may suffer.
Timescale for Inquests
An inquest is led by a coroner as an independent judicial office. Coroners aim to complete inquests within six months, however due to complexity of the case or unavoidable delays inquests into military and MOD civilian deaths, this can take upwards of six months to complete.