Baby charities call for improvements in care for bereaved parents

Bliss and a coalition of more than 60 charities working to prevent baby deaths and pregnancy loss are urging all NHS trusts and boards across the UK to improve bereavement care for parents.

The call came at the start of Baby Loss Awareness Week 2018 (9-15 October) when bereaved parents, their families and friends, unite across the world to commemorate their babies' lives.

Baby Loss Awareness Week 2018 also marks the roll-out of the National Bereavement Care Pathway (NBCP), a partnership between government, charities and the NHS, that sets out the standards for providing excellent care to anyone affected by pregnancy and baby loss. This healthcare programme is being made publicly available for the first time and is set to transform bereavement care for thousands of families each year across the UK.

Caroline Lee-Davey, Chief Executive of Bliss says: "Losing a baby is the most devastating event that can happen to any parent. It is therefore vital that parents have all the help and support they need if they experience such a tragic loss. The roll-out of the NBCP is an important step towards ensuring that parents are supported in their grief and that healthcare professionals feel properly equipped in caring for families."

The NBCP standards include:

- All bereaved parents given opportunities to take photos, create hand and footprints, and spend time making memories with their precious babies

- A dedicated bereavement room available and accessible in every hospital

- Bereavement care training for ALL staff who have contact with grieving parents

- Support for healthcare staff dealing with the trauma of baby loss so that they are able to care for bereaved parents.