Retired midwife and health visitor Janine Dougan wins award for outstanding bereavement care

Retired Midwife and Health Visitor in Northern Ireland Janine Dougan has received the Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care from pregnancy and baby loss charity Sands.

Janine said: “Losing a child is unbearable, no matter at what stage. Providing good bereavement care is essential so parents know that they are supported and cared for and that their baby mattered and their wishes were respected. It is about being their partner in this process and being present for them.

“As a health visitor you are also in the position to support and nurture that family if they decide to have another child after their loss; you are uniquely placed by being in their home and knowing their story.”

Elaine Thorp was a midwife who personified good bereavement care and was a true pioneer in listening to bereaved parents. She first became aware of the need for better bereavement care in the late 1970s and became involved with Sands in 1991 when she took on the role of Bereavement Officer at Birmingham Women’s Hospital. Elaine retired from the NHS in 2007 and sadly died in 2013, but those with whom she worked and volunteered remember her with great affection. The Elaine Thorp panel is made up of healthcare professionals and volunteers from around the four nations. Janine’s nomination not only met the award’s criteria but surpassed it.

Four years ago, Victoria and Thomas’s baby daughter Alexa was diagnosed during pregnancy with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). They were cared for by Janine, their health visitor at the time, who made sure they had the best possible services and contingency of care. “She never judged me even when I felt insane from grief. She made sure I was always supported by professionals I knew…Janine is like a fairy godmother… she made me feel so supported and cared for at a time when my world was crumbling. Janine helped me for years to rebuild my life after losing my daughter.“

Victoria Johnston, a bereaved parent, said: “Janine relentlessly emailed the bereavement support midwife in my trust when I fell through the gap of giving birth in one trust and being provided with postnatal care by another.”

Thomas Cowan shared how Janine made him feel supported and seen as a bereaved parent, not just a partner, and the impact that had on him: “Janine realised men grieve too… she'd always make me and my grief feel seen. She’d offer me support but never pressured me (I was very reluctant). When she called it felt like a friendly relative would come and brighten the day in even the worst of times. How could we ever thank someone for such outstanding dedication, support and love?” At every step of the way, Janine supported the young family. She carried out extra home visits, using her knowledge of the local community to recommend counselling services, local charity support, connecting them to Sands and a dad’s walking group.

“All the Elaine Thorp Award for Bereavement Care nominations were submitted by bereaved parents and family members, giving them an important opportunity to thank the healthcare professionals who cared for them and their babies. I hope this award will shine a light on the difference that so many healthcare workers are making for bereaved parents every day,” says Clea Harmer, Chief Executive Officer of Sands.

“We received just under 50 nominations for the award, but Janine truly stood out through her dedication to helping all those parents she cares for to begin to rebuild their lives, and ensuring their baby’s memory is at the heart of everything she does. Good care can’t take away the pain of the death of a baby but can help parents through this devastating time.”

Now that she is retired, Janine volunteers for a charity in Northern Ireland called Angel Eyes that supports children with visual impairments.