Bereavement support
Bereavement is deeply distressing but it’s also a common and natural experience. We have a range of services which offer adult bereavement support.
Bereavement support for patients, their family, friends and carers
Bereavement support is one of the services our Family Support Team provides to our patients, their family, friends and carers. We are here to support you following a bereavement, if you need it.
We offer a range of bereavement support options. Our experience of working with hundreds of bereaved families shows that what can be most helpful in the early days following a bereavement is understanding the grieving process, so our initial support is designed to help with this. For people who need further help we offer group support and 121 support from bereavement practitioners, if you feel you need to talk to someone.
How can we support you?
About 4-6 weeks after a patient has died, the Family Support Team will write to the designated next of kin. We will invite you to an Understanding Your Grief session –designed to help you understand the unpredictable, unique and individual nature of grief, connect with others who are also bereaved and find out about any support in your area. For many people this understanding, together with the support of family and friends, will help you move through your grief journey.
If after a number of months you feel that you would like further support, please contact us and we can offer you group or 121 support with a bereavement support practitioner.
Community bereavement support
We also run a variety of community groups which offer the opportunity to meet others who are bereaved. From writing to allotment groups, there’s a whole host of activities which we have designed to support you. Some are practical courses which you may find helpful. Others are more informal and interest-based.
We also have a variety of Bereavement Help Points across our patch which are open to all adults within the community. They are a community based drop-in service model where all people who are bereaved are welcome. It’s a space to meet and talk with others who may be experiencing similar thoughts and feelings, in an informal and supportive setting.
Need more information?
For more information about our bereavement services, or if you wish to talk to someone, please contact the team by phone or email:
Phone: 0345 0130 555