Sands (Stillbirth and neonatal death charity) is delighted to report that, as of 24 August 2021, all NHS Trusts in England have either expressed interest or formally committed to implementing the National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP) within their hospitals and services.
The final NHS Trust in England has now officially expressed its interest in implementing the NBCP. This means two-thirds of Trusts in England are now fully committed to the nine bereavement care standards of the NBCP, while the remaining third have formally expressed their interest in doing so.
The NBCP, which is led by Sands , sets the standard for the quality and consistency of bereavement care received by parents and families in NHS Trusts after pregnancy loss or the death of a baby. The Pathway promotes nine bereavement care standards, such as: offering bereaved families the opportunity to make memories, ensuring the appropriate referrals are made to mental health services and making sure health professionals are supported and well-trained to care for those affected by bereavement.
There are many benefits for NHS Trusts that are part of the NBCP network; as an open and welcoming forum, Trust representatives can share examples and inspiration for good practice, offer advice and think collaboratively about ways to develop and improve the bereavement care their Trust offers. Tools and resources are readily available for professionals via the NBCP website.
We are delighted that every NHS Trust in England has now actively expressed their interest in the Pathway, it feels like a great achievement. However, we’re keen not to rest on our laurels. The mission going forward is clear: we will support the remaining NHS Trusts to implement the nine standards of the Pathway.
- NBCP Lead at Sands, Marc Harder
Across the rest of the UK, a number of NHS boards in Scotland are working with Sands as early adopters of the NBCP and work is underway with relevant stakeholders in Northern Ireland , to promote consistent national bereavement care standards in these nations too.
Visit www.nbcpathway.org.uk to learn more about the NBCP, or contact Marc via marc.harder@sands.org.uk.
A series of free workshops for healthcare professionals are being held during September
To find out how you can support Sands to get the NBCP implemented in every NHS Trust, join our e-bulletin mailing list.