To ask the Minister of Health to detail any consideration his Department has given to improving the provision of bereavement suites to ensure each family has a quiet and comfortable space to grieve.

HSC Trusts have confirmed their individual position on their provision of bereavement suites.

Western Trust

The Western Trust has a bereavement suite in both of the Maternity units at Altnagelvin and SWAH. These were designed in partnership with families who had experienced pregnancy loss and the essential works to create these suites were funded between the Trust and charitable funds from SANDS.

South Eastern Trust

The South Eastern Trust has Sanctuary Rooms at the Ulster, Lagan Valley and Downe hospital sites; these rooms provide families a quiet and comfortable space to grieve; for noting the room at the Ulster Hospital site was renovated last year. In addition, there is a bereavement suite in their Maternity unit.

South Eastern Trust also confirmed that within the Directorate of Surgery, Elective, Maternity & Acute Paediatrics, there are a number of bespoke 'Quiet' Rooms & 'Relatives' rooms for parents, families and relatives adjacent to the clinical areas that can be used at any time. These areas are available to families and relatives when patients are unwell or have been bereaved.

Southern Trust

Within acute Paediatric Services, the CAH neonatal unit has 2 transitional care rooms which can be made available to provide privacy and space to grieving families. The SCBU in DHH also has a transitional care room that can be made available for this purpose, in addition to the Willow room in DHH maternity if not in use.

Whilst the Paediatric wards do not have bereavement suites, they do have individual rooms with blinds in the windows that provide bereaved families with privacy and space to grieve. The staff endeavour to ensure the room is in the most suitable area to meet their needs.

Both the emergency departments in the Southern Trust have bereavement rooms for families to grieve. These have been in place for a considerable period of time. At present the Trust is developing a business case to extend and improve the facility on the Craigavon site with recognition that for families of a sudden infant death, they may need to remain on site for a longer period of time

Within Surgery and Clinical Services, in response to patient feedback, work is ongoing with estates to develop bereavement suites in the gynae ward in CAH.

Unfortunately they do not have bereavement suites in our non-acute hospitals.

The SHSCT have purpose built Bereavement Suites situated in the Delivery Suite where mothers are admitted for labour and birth. Both these suites are geographically located to avoid additional trauma for parents/visitors by meeting other birthing parents. The area has been sound proofed to avoid any noise disturbance. These rooms are suitable for any gestation usually used for 17-42 weeks gestation. Both suites have soft colours and furnishing to ensure the room appears less clinical and more conducive to the needs of bereaved families. Families remain in these room for labour and delivery and then discharged home.

Within Critical care (ICU) they do have two rooms which essentially operate as bereavement suites. These are two 'consultation rooms' where families are updated by the medical teams, difficult conversations are undertaken, etc. One of these rooms is used for overnight stays if appropriate, and also for families who have lost a loved one in Critical Care.

Belfast Trust

Across the Belfast Trust, currently the only designated bereavement suite is within Maternity Services and this suite was co-designed with bereaved parents who are members of the Snowdrop Group, to create a private and less clinical environment.

In the Royal Victoria Hospital, within cardiology services new build, there are plans confirmed to house a dedicated area for bereaved families.

Throughout the rest of the Belfast Trust currently, dedicated bereavement suites are not available. However, there are rooms for the use of relatives in all inpatient wards which would be used for sensitive conversations including breaking bad news. This space is reserved for family members to use when their loved ones are at the end of life and following their death. Relatives are provided with information and resources and they can avail of a referral to the Trust Bereavement Service.

Northern Trust

The Northern Trust is committed to delivering high quality compassionate care to women and their families following loss during pregnancy.

Women and families experiencing loss have the support of the entire multidisciplinary team, Trust Bereavement Coordinator, Bereavement Support Midwife, specialist midwives and specialist nurses working collaboratively.

Our service provides support and guidance to all parents who experience pregnancy loss at any stage of pregnancy, miscarriage, stillbirth, early neonatal death, termination for medical reasons, and pregnancy after loss.

In the clinical setting, bereaved parents are cared for in our recently opened bereavement room called the Willow Suite. This is a dedicated space for parents and families following the loss of a baby after 20 weeks, providing an appropriately quiet environment, which upholds privacy and dignity, and gives the opportunity to grieve and spend time with their precious baby whilst in hospital. On occasions there may be more than one woman bereaved, in this situation staff will use their judgement to place the woman appropriately until the Willow Suite becomes available.

Prior to 20 weeks, those experiencing loss are cared for in a private room on the gynaecology ward.

In both clinical settings and supported by the multidisciplinary team parents receive:

•Compassionate and empathetic care

•Clear and sensitive communication

•Guidance to make informed choices and decisions,

•Emotional support

•Opportunities for memory making with provision of memory boxes, additional resources & bereavement photography

•Provision of a cuddle cot whilst in hospital or for use at home – a specialised cooling cot giving parents the opportunity to spend as much time as needed with their baby both in hospital or at home in the time before burial or cremation

•Individualised care planning

•Assessment of mental health and onward referral if necessary

•Opportunities for remembrance and reflection

•Support of specialist bereavement support midwife and signposting to other specialist services as required.