Treasury's flawed disciplinary process linked to assistant's death, inquest rules

A coroner has concluded that the Treasury played

A coroner has concluded that the Treasury played a contributing role in the death of Chloe Moffat, a 26-year-old personal assistant who died by suicide following disciplinary proceedings that were later found to be flawed.

Senior coroner Anna Crawford determined that the department's actions "materially contributed" to Ms Moffat's death. Additionally, she identified a broader risk that similar mishandling of disciplinary cases within the civil service could lead to further fatalities.

In response, Ms Crawford announced plans to issue a formal prevention of future deaths report. This report will be directed to the head of the civil service, the Treasury, and the Advisory, Conciliation, and Arbitration Service (Acas), a body that provides workplace dispute resolution.

The inquest heard that Ms Moffat, who had

The inquest heard that Ms Moffat, who had worked at the Treasury, faced a disciplinary process that was later criticized for its inadequacies. The coroner's findings highlight serious concerns about how such internal procedures are conducted across government departments.

The move to issue the report underscores the need for systemic changes to prevent similar tragedies. It calls on relevant authorities to review and reform their disciplinary frameworks to ensure fairness and adequate support for employees.

Ms Moffat's death has prompted renewed scrutiny of workplace practices within the civil service, with officials expected to respond to the coroner's recommendations in due course.