Case study:

11 May 2010

Bereavement Support Service in Ipswich Hospital Trust

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Key points

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Ipswich Hospital Trust offers a bereavement support service for all next of kin of cancer patients who have died at the hospital.

The service, which began in November 2003, includes a dedicated support line and short-term counselling as well as information about other sources of help and support.

The aim is to provide practical information about the grief process, to address concerns surrounding the patient’s death or care at the time of death and to support staff.

A small-scale survey of those using the counselling service suggests it is often used when death was sudden or there is a concern over the care provided.

In some instances the counselling provided closure.

In others it identified problems, which led to appropriate action being taken.

Although support and counselling is available before death, there is a structured process of contact from the time of a patient’s death.

Next of kin are given an information leaflet, which gives advice about immediate practicalities as well as a brief description of the grief process and provides information on support agencies and the oncology department’s counselling service.

They will then be contacted six weeks later by letter with suggestions on where they can get help and support.

It is suggested they share this letter with other close family members and seek referral to family support if children are involved.

In addition staff are offered clinical supervision and debriefing sessions.

The service is managed in partnership with the Family Support Service (Palliative Care) and the Oncology Counselling Service.

The family support worker works with families up to death and afterwards and has a background in social work.

The counsellor sees patients and close relatives at any time from diagnosis onwards.

There have been some problems.A shortage of administrative staff led to some inconsistencies in sending out letters.

As a result the service has been temporarily scaled down to focus only on patients who have died on the oncology ward.

It is hoped to resume contacting carers of all cancer patients who died at the trust in due course.

There are also plans to teach staff about loss and communication skills as well as encouraging reflective practice to help them cope with own feelings.

It is intended to replace the letter to next of kin with cards since these can be left on a shelf and referred to later.

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