Case study:

11 May 2010

Bereavement service for cancer and palliative care in Walsall Teaching PCT

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Key points

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Walsall Teaching PCT has set up a bereavement service to help carers grieving after the death of a cancer or palliative care patient.

The service, which was launched in September 2007, provides an information leaflet about support organisations and the grief process as well as a ‘listening ear’ service staffed by trained bereavement volunteers.

Counselling is offered for those experiencing complex grief responses.

So far the counselling service has received around 20 referrals with most clients over the age of 50.

Most are referred through GP practices – either directly by the GP or through a practice nurse.

From anecdotal evidence it would seem that those carers who lost someone to lung cancer find it particularly difficult to come to terms with their grief.

This seems to be partly because the person who died was to some extent the architect of their own demise and partly because the carers feel they did not receive adequate care.

It could be that some professionals unwittingly display negative attitudes when encountering patients with what are seen as ‘self-inflicted’ diseases.

One issue that has emerged is that some carers were confused by the different approaches of the medical and nursing team.

They had the impression that some operated a palliative approach while others were more active.

This seems to happen especially where two specialties may be working together – for instance, cardiology and oncology.

The service, which is funded by Walsall’s New Deal for Communities, is run by a bereavement co-ordinator and family bereavement support worker, supported by a number of volunteer bereavement workers.

The volunteers all receive training and other health professionals in the trust are now being offered an introduction to bereavement.

The service is currently monitoring the causes of death and will be using that data in examining the pattern of referrals to the service.

Evaluation will be conducted by externally facilitated audit and through clinical governance.

It is anticipated the service will be incorporated into the local Palliative Care Centre, which is scheduled to open in the summer of 2009.

Other plans include an Arts into Health initiative and an expansion of the volunteer bereavement team.

It is also hoped to roll out training to professionals and lay members of the community.

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