Parents report ‘positive feedback’ on bereavement care in Scotland – Scottish Business News

PARENTS who have experienced pregnancy loss or the death of a baby, and health professionals caring for bereaved families, have shared their experiences of bereavement care in Scotland, in a report published today.

Overall, the parents who took part gave positive feedback on the bereavement care they received and highlighted the impact good care can make. The evaluation carried out also included feedback from health professionals, which showed that bereavement care had improved following the introduction of the National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP) in Scotland.

 The NBCP in Scotland is led by Sands in collaboration with a number of other charities and professional organisations. It is funded by Scottish Government as part of The Best Start: a five-year plan for maternity and neonatal care. The Project provides dedicated, evidence-based care pathways designed for all healthcare professionals and staff involved in the care of women, partners and families at all stages of pregnancy and baby loss.²

Jennie Minto, the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health, said: “The loss of a baby, no matter what stage of pregnancy, is a traumatic event that can have a profound impact on families. Women and families who have experienced pregnancy or baby loss must be provided with the right care and support tailored to their needs.

“The Scottish Government funded Sands to develop and deliver the National Bereavement Care Pathways in all 14 NHS Boards, to ensure that families who experience baby loss receive high quality and compassionate care.  The evaluation report shows that the pathways are making a real difference to women and families receiving bereavement care and to the health professionals caring for those families.”

Clea Harmer, Sands’ Chief Executive, said: “Everyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby deserves high quality bereavement care and support. This evaluation of the NBCP in Scotland evidences how, with national implementation and investment such as that from the Scottish Government, we can improve bereavement care.

“These results are incredibly encouraging and work continues to embed the NBCP across all NHS Boards to improve the quality and consistency of bereavement care provided. We look forward to sharing learnings with other UK nations and continuing to build on the success we’ve seen in Scotland.”

What parents had to say about their bereavement care

The NBCP in Scotland evaluation found that:
•    84% of respondents agreed the hospital was a caring and supportive environment 
•    86% agreed they were treated with respect 
•    84% agreed that the decisions they made in hospital were the right ones at the time 
•    89% feel they were communicated with sensitively 
•    80% agreed that all staff could provide a consistently high level of care 
•    83% were offered access to ongoing emotional support after they left hospital 

The compassion and respect shown by staff, the time and information parents receive to make informed decisions, and the opportunities parents have to create memories of their babies were all strong influences on the parents’ overall impression of the care they received in hospital. Most parents report these aspects of care are delivered well.

Yvette, who experienced an early pregnancy loss, said: “The care from the midwife throughout the whole process was amazing. She was very supportive and sympathetic throughout the whole experience. She made my husband feel comfortable throughout the whole experience and made us feel welcome in the lovely room we had for the period we were in hospital. Nothing was a bother and if there was anything we needed she was there for us.”

Two key areas that parents said they would like to see improvements in included, more consistent bereavement care in hospital, and more continuity of care after leaving hospital.

What health professionals had to say about bereavement care

All 14 NHS Boards in Scotland are signed up to the NBCP as part of the Scottish Government Best Start Programme. Included in this evaluation, to measure the impact and effectiveness of the NBCP, were 569 health professionals from the nine NHS Boards who signed up in the first two waves of enrolment.

The NBCP in Scotland evaluation found that:
•    82% of respondents to the follow up survey who were aware of changes brought about by the NBCP felt that bereavement care had improved. 
•    61% of respondents who were aware of the NBCP agreed that the consistency of bereavement care had improved since its introduction in their Board.

The introduction of dedicated staff with responsibility for bereavement care was mentioned by many healthcare staff in the follow-up survey as one of the improvements they’d seen since the NBCP was introduced in their Board.

A hospital-based midwife with over 10 years’ experience, said: “Families have a bereavement lead who they have access to and regular contact with for as long as they require it. Staff have support from the bereavement lead which has helped me to feel more confident in the role I have in caring for families.”

Health professionals noted that continued delivery of the NBCP in areas such as bereavement care training, dedicated staff, better facilities and communication between departments will bring further improvements.

Marc Harder, Sands’ Head of Bereavement Care, said: “This evaluation tells us parents who experienced bereavement care after the NBCP was introduced in their NHS Board overwhelmingly agree that the hospital was a caring and supportive environment and that they were treated with respect, communicated with sensitively, and offered ongoing emotional support after they left hospital.

“The majority of professionals surveyed agree that bereavement care has improved and become more consistent in their NHS Board since the introduction of the NBCP. This is due to the appointment of dedicated bereavement care staff, increased staff training and more collaborative working across departments. As a result, staff feel more skilled and supported to deliver good quality bereavement care.

“Work continues to ensure that the NBCP is embedded in the care provided to everyone who experiences pregnancy loss or the death of a baby.”

Sands is here to support all bereaved families in Scotland and across the UK. The charity provides support through its Freephone helpline, online community and resources, and locally through a network of regional support groups run by trained befrienders, including 11 support groups across Scotland, all offering in-person peer support.