Jacey is a Midwife who works at Northwick Park Hospital, in Harrow, London.  

For a number of years, she has worked on the delivery suite and in triage, so often cares for bereaved families as part of her role and is ‘passionate’ about the care provided to those experiencing the loss of a baby.  

She was nominated for the Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care by a number of bereaved parents and family members, including bereaved mum Jayna. 

In Jayna’s nomination, she spoke about the ways Jacey provided individualised care, making her and her family ‘feel safe’. 

She explained: “She went above and beyond by getting clearance to do my blood tests from the car park rather than having to walk through the maternity triage which was too traumatic. When I did need to go through triage, she would have a room already waiting and cleared for us so we could be seen to quickly and privately. If we called triage, we could ask for her directly, so I didn’t have to explain my background. If she wasn’t on shift when we called, she would call us back to make sure we were ok.” 

Jacey gained Jayna’s trust, and when the family wanted to take their son outside, Jacey helped them to do so and ensured they had privacy. When the family left, Jacey stayed with their son, so he wasn’t alone when being transferred to the mortuary. 

Jayna said: “When we visited him, Jacey had set up the bereavement suite so we could see him in a cool cot where we were more comfortable. She did my observations there, so I didn’t have to leave my son.” 

When tests were required, Jacey made sure to liaise with the consultant so she was able to ring Jayna back directly with the information and answer any questions they had. 

Jayna said: “Her kind, caring and approachable personality allowed me to feel comfortable and ask her for anything I needed. She helped us to take pictures and feel like a family when we were in the bereavement suite. She would keep track of when we called triage and would check in after to make sure we felt heard, and our questions were answered.” 

Jayna goes on to describe Jacey as ‘a beacon of shining light’ and ‘an incredible Midwife’ who they would be ‘completely lost without’. 

On being nominated and shortlisted for this award, Jacey said: “I feel so honoured and delighted to be shortlisted for this award. It is beyond anything I ever could have imagined in my career. It is likely to be one of my career highlights that I will never forget!  

“I became a Midwife to make a difference and this nomination highlights just how much of a difference we can make to someone. I naturally go the extra mile for all my patients, especially those who suffer a loss or traumatic experience. I love the job I do and it’s the families I meet along the way that keep me coming back shift after shift!”