Former coroner for Westminster Dr Paul Knapman is working with Verita to handle a growing number of requests for help from police faced with investigating complex patient safety incidents.
Police work
"We are currently working with five police forces", explains Verita managing partner Ed Marsden. "The police come to us for help in understanding the context in which these incidents happen and for expert advice on what is 'normal'.
"Dr Knapman provides expert advice and has worked with Verita to design a checklist for police forces to use when referring cases to us. The form allows the police to draw together the threads of complex cases, summarise the cause of concern and likely charges, and set out the information that they have in their possession."
Most of the cases are referred to the police by coroners or as a result of concerns expressed by relatives or whistleblowers in the NHS.