The bereavement services team at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust has been recognised for the excellence of its care with a double award nomination in the 2014 Butterfly Awards.
The Butterfly Awards celebrate and recognise the achievements of families overcoming the loss of a baby and the healthcare professionals that support them during this difficult time.
The team at the Heart of England NHS Foundation Trust, which covers Heartlands Hospital, Solihull Hospital and Good Hope Hospital, has been nominated in the Best Hospital Bereavement Service category, having won the award in 2013, while bereavement support midwife Clare Beesley (pictured) has been individually nominated for the Bereavement Worker award.
Clare, from Solihull, said she and the team were humbled that their work had been acknowledged and spoke about the ‘rewarding’ nature of the job they do.
She said: “We were absolutely delighted to win the Best Hospital Bereavement Service award at the Butterfly Awards last year as it was fantastic recognition for the team at the Trust which is committed to providing the best care possible for bereaved families.
“For me it is not just a job, it is a role that I put my heart and soul into because I see the impact that excellent bereavement care has on families in the future and babies that are sadly lost through miscarriage, stillbirth or neonatal death deserve to be cared for with love and tenderness, care and dignity, as any other baby would.
“On a daily basis working with bereaved families makes my passion for the service grow and inspires me to continuously improve and aspire to lead the way in bereavement care.
“It is wonderful that our commitment to delivering the highest levels of care is being highlighted by the 2014 Butterfly Awards.”
The Solihull branch of Sands (the Stillbirth and Neonatal Death charity) has been an invaluable source of support for the Trust’s bereavement team over the years and Solihull Sands chairman Sheelagh White spoke about the ‘excellent bereavement care’ provided by the Trust.
She said: “The care provided by the Trust is not just limited to when a family experiences a loss but also continues in the time after – no matter how long this takes. Parents take home their memories including the way they are cared for and the staff who cared for them.
“The bereavement team recognises this and is dedicated to providing parent-led care which meets the individual needs of the families. The Trust works closely with Sands which enables it to continue to improve the services and move them forward.”
The Butterfly Awards 2014 will be held on 11 October 2014 at the Chesford Grange Hotel in Kenilworth, Warwickshire. The awards are decided by a public vote so to vote for the Heart of England Trust visit http://www.thebutterflyawards.com/index.php/voting/userprofile/1290#divv and to vote for Claire individually visit http://www.thebutterflyawards.com/index.php/voting/userprofile/Cabeesley#divv
