Category: 0. Covid-19 – For professionals

The team at Sands are working hard to support bereaved parents and health care staff through this challenging time.  Our support services are available for anyone who needs emotional support or practical guidance on how to provide bereavement care:

Freephone helpline:          0808 164 3332

Email helpline:                     helpline@sands.org.uk

Sands memory box provides a place for parents and families to create and keep memories of their beloved baby. Our memory boxes are free of charge and can be ordered here.

The NBCP materials provide specific guidance for anyone working with families experiencing Miscarriage, Termination of Pregnancy due to Fetal Anomaly, Stillbirth, Neonatal Death and Sudden and Unexpected Death in Infancy.

Scotland: nbcpscotland.org.uk

England: nbcpathway.org.uk

NBCP E-learning: nbcpathway.org.uk/professionals/training-healthcare-professionals

The NBCP E-Learning module is hosted by NHS Health Education England.  E-learning for Scotland will be developed, in the meantime staff working in all nations can access the England modules by registering with NHS Health Education England using their NHS work email.

The National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP) is being implemented in England and piloted in Scotland to ensure that all bereaved families have access to high quality, sensitive and family centred care, regardless of circumstance, gestation or postcode. However, the response to COVID-19 is having an impact on bereavement care across the UK. 

Social distancing, restricted NHS resources and potential staff redeployment are having varying degrees of impact on the ability of Trusts and Boards to deliver the nine bereavement care standards. We expect that bereavement care in maternity and neonatal services will vary over coming months. 

Sands fully supports the NHS and its dedicated staff.  We also know from listening to parents that core elements of bereavement care can be maintained when a baby dies during the COVID-19 pandemic.  Sands recognises that a more streamlined approach to bereavement care may be required to take into account the current constraints in the NHS. 

The minimum level of bereavement care families need is:

1. Compassionate care

• A supportive family-centred approach
• Acknowledgement of their loss and of individual responses to grief and trauma
• Recognition of parenthood and the opportunity to make memories with their baby

2. Excellent communication

• Empathetic communication
• Informed choice about birth options and options after death
• A robust review using the Perinatal Mortality Review Tool and with parental engagement
• Signposting on to physical, practical and psychological support

3. Trained and supported staff

• NBCP materials and Sands learning resources shared with  staff
• Psychological support for staff