Steve Brine MP (Winchester) and Paul Holmes MP (Eastleigh) visited Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester to learn more about pregnancy and baby loss.
The visit was organised by the charity SANDS which is calling for all NHS trusts to have the resources and support to implement the National Bereavement Care Pathway. The initiative, which is led by SANDS, aims to improve equity in bereavement care so it is not a postcode lottery for parents in what standard of care they receive.
The bereavement team at the hospital and CEO, Alex Whitfield, met with the MPs to tell them more about their service.
During the visit, conversations were had around the importance of wrap-around care, including supporting mothers and families in the event they go on to have further pregnancies. The group also discussed the importance of safer pregnancy information reaching pregnant women and ensuring that listening to mums and their concerns is a top priority in trusts.
Steve and Paul were also pleased to meet SANDS volunteers including Emily Veall who lost her son Joshua in Basingstoke in 2016 and now runs a Befriender Clinic in the Trust and bereaved Dad - Stephen Kelley - who recently set up Sands United Basingstoke which is a football team made of Dad’s who’ve experienced baby loss.
Steve Brine said; “Hampshire Hospitals NHS Trust provides excellent quality bereavement care and are champions of the National Bereavement Care Pathway. I remember working with them early on in my time as our MP to bring this level of care to Winchester and it’s so nice to see our hospital become an exemplar of good practice.
“The National Bereavement Care Pathway includes nine standards of care and is rolled out in 93% of hospital trusts across England. However, even in hospitals where maternity units are providing excellent bereavement care and support, this is not always replicated in gynaecology, emergency or other departments, which can have an adverse effect on bereaved parents.”
The bereavement team led by Laura Mackie, Lead Bereavement Midwife, also showed the MPs the Butterfly Suite, the bereavement room at the trust. Steve add; “It is so important for families to have a safe, protected space to spend time and make memories with their baby so the Butterfly Suite is really special”.
Pictured : Steve Brine MP, Paul Holmes MP with Sands volunteers and the RHCH bereavement team at Winchester Hospital.
