Barbara is a Bereavement Midwife at the Royal Jubilee Maternity Hospital in Belfast. 

For more than 30 years, Barbara worked as a Midwife and for the last seven years she’s been a Bereavement Midwife. She describes herself as ‘passionate’ about good bereavement care and feels she was ‘guided’ to care for bereaved families. 

Barbara was nominated and shortlisted for last year’s Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care, and has also been nominated for the 2024 award by two bereaved parents she cared for, Amber and Natalie. 

In her nomination, Amber describes Barbara as ‘a walking angel’, always being there for her and her partner and appearing when they needed her, like she just knew. 

Amber said: “Barbara always made sure we were comfortable and took me somewhere private when I wanted to talk to her without everyone else around. She always made sure to explain what the doctors meant.  

“I could tell it wasn’t just a job for Barbara, she told me a couple of weeks ago that she still thinks about me and my partner regularly. She looked at my baby so lovingly and treated her with such care and compassion, she made it all seem so special.” 

Amber still talks about how ‘great’ Barbara is to anyone she’s telling her story to. She closed her nomination with the words: “She made the hardest experience of my life that wee bit easier and I am forever grateful for her care, she is an absolutely amazing woman.” 

The second nomination for Barbara came from bereaved mother and Midwife Natalie. 

In her nomination, Natalie explained how her daughter, Emily passed on Christmas Eve. Barbara kept in contact with the parents over the Christmas period, ensured they understood the process of Emily leaving the hospital, sorted the paperwork and signposted Natalie to extra help she may need. 

Natalie said: “The day we found out Emily wouldn’t make it, Barbara just held me. Seeing her emotional made me realise how much she truly cared. She called to see Emily in the NICU and mentioned how perfect she was. She always talks about Emily as if she is still here. She always includes our other son in conversations and has helped with guiding him through this grief.” 

She described Barbara as being ‘like an angel from heaven’ there to guide her. 

She added: “Barbara is always there when I need her and is only a phone call away. If I’m having a hard week, I know I only have to message Barbara and she will be there to help me. She will always message on days she knows I will be sad. 

“She has not only supported me and my partner but our son too giving advice on how we can deal with this as a family. I honestly would be lost without Barbara.” 

On being nominated and shortlisted for the award, Barbara said: “It gives me confidence to know that what I am doing is helping families and it is making a difference.  

“Sands have been at the forefront of change within bereavement care and, as someone who has worked for over 40 years in the NHS, I have witnessed that change and the difference it has and will continue to make to families and future generations.”