We are delighted to announce that 100 NHS Trusts in England have now committed to the National Bereavement Care Pathway, which will see them working to provide high quality bereavement care to parents and families who experience pregnancy loss or the death of a baby. 

“I’m so pleased to have reached this milestone in our mission. It’s a testament to the dedication and hard work of healthcare professionals, our partners, as well as our supporters who campaign to ensure high quality bereavement care is the norm, and not an exception. 

We are looking forward to our continued work with the 100 Trusts in England who have signed up so far, and to gaining commitment from the remaining twenty seven.”

- Marc Harder, Head of Hospital Liaison and Bereavement Care, Sands

The 100th Trust to commit to the National Bereavement Care Pathway is East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT).

"We are delighted to be the 100th Trust to sign up to the National Bereavement Care Pathways.  This demonstrates the commitment to provide high quality bereavement care both nationally and locally.  Here at ELHT this will give us a chance to highlight both the excellent care that we strive to provide and any areas that we need to improve upon within Maternity and Family Care."

- Kathryn Sansby, a Bereavement Specialist Midwife at ELHT

Collaboration key to improving care

The Trusts that have implemented the Pathway since its first pilots back in 2017 have seen huge improvements in bereavement care.

This would not have been achieved without the support of dedicated NHS staff, a core group of baby loss charities, Royal Colleges, and other professional organisations working in this area, such as the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Baby Loss. 

“Though I am delighted to celebrate this milestone, there is still much more work to be done. Alongside our partners, we will continue supporting Trusts in embedding the nine pathway standards, training and upskilling staff, providing resources for families and gaining funding from Government to put this commitment into practice.”

- Clea Harmer, Chief Executive, Sands

You can help improve bereavement care

Do you want to support your local NHS hospital to provide high quality bereavement care for families experiencing pregnancy loss or the death of a baby?

Do you have more time and want to represent Sands in your local hospital? We are recruiting for Hospital Liaison Volunteers.