National Bereavement Care Pathway to help parents in Scotland

Sands, the stillbirth and neonatal death charity, and partners working on the National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP) for pregnancy and baby loss have announced that the project will be extended to Scotland from April onwards, thanks to £94,000 funding from the Scottish Government.

The NBCP seeks to improve the quality of, and reduce inequity in, the bereavement care provided to parents and families when a baby dies before, during or shortly after birth.

Sands will work with the Scottish Government, a number of baby loss charities and other healthcare partners in Scotland to develop the approach over the next two years, with the plan to pilot, implement and embed the NBCP across Scotland by March 2020.

Health Secretary Shona Robison says: "This £94,000 funding, which will allow implementation of the NBCP in pilot sites across Scotland, will ensure all bereaved parents are offered high quality, sensitive bereavement care.

"I am also pleased that the pathway will support our long-term plans for the delivery of high quality maternity and neonatal care in Scotland."

The development of the NBCP in Scotland will be overseen by a Scottish steering group that will be established soon.

For further information on the NBCP visit the website