How can we help?

A death is a very traumatic event for a family and when a death has to be investigated by the Coroner, this can raise a number of concerns.  It is important for families to realize that we are always contactable. 

State Coroner's Office (SCO)

The State Coroner's Office can be contacted on (03 9684 4444) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The State Coroner's Office web site with additional information is available at  www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au

Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine (VIFM)

The VIFM has an on call pathologist who similarly can be contacted at any time via the State Coroner's Office.  Specialists in grief counselling and family support are available at the State Coroner's Office, and the pathologists of the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine work closely with these counsellors.  If a family would like more information regarding the results of an autopsy, they can contact the counselling service, who will make arrangements for the family to meet with a pathologist.  We find that where a family has an opportunity to sit down with a pathologist and discuss the results of an autopsy, this can help to alleviate a number of concerns or worries that they may have had regarding the death.  Not all families will wish to do this, and we understand that they might feel more comfortable meeting with their family practitioner to discuss the death.  The pathologists from the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine are very happy to discuss the results of the pathological investigation with the family's own doctor, so that the doctor can best explain to the family what happened.