New centres to help people come to terms with loss
NEW bereavement centres will help families and friends come to terms with the loss of loved ones.
Pennine Acute NHS Trust, which operates four hospitals in Greater Manchester, is opening the first of its new dedicated centres this week.
The Swan Suite at North Manchester General Hospital will open its doors to the public for the first time on Friday following an official opening event at 2pm.
Pennine is also opening centres at The Royal Oldham Hospital, Fairfield General Hospital in Bury and Rochdale Infirmary, with dates to be confirmed.
Hospital bosses say it will greatly improve the experience of patients and families following the death of a loved one.
The centre will be staffed by a fully trained bereavement specialist nurse and there are also plans to recruit a children and families bereavement trainer
Fiona Murphy, associate director of nursing at Pennine Acute NHS Trust – which runs the hospital– said she was ‘excited and proud’ about the opening.
“A great many staff across the trust, from porters to nurses to managers, have all gone above and beyond the call of duty to make sure this vitally important service could get up and running as soon as possible,” she added.
“I know that the centre will have a huge impact on the service and support given to those that have lost a loved one.”
Among the services offered at the centre will be support in the case of both expected and unexpected deaths, equitable care regardless of the place of death, a choice of mementoes of loved ones such as hand and footprints or a lock of hair, and information about care after death.
The trust will also hold monthly bereavement study days for all staff members involved in the delivery of end of life care and bereavement and the bereavement specialist nurses will also offer real time coaching to other staff.
The opening this week coincides with the national Dying Matters Awareness Week.
The event on Friday will be attended by Jim Potter, the chairman of Pennine Acute NHS Trust, trust chief executive Sir David Dalton, chief nurse Elaine Inglesby-Burke, senior Coroner Nigel Meadows and Fiona Murphy, who in addition to her trust role is also a founder of the national SWAN end of life care model, which is used in 47 trusts nationwide.