Partnership delivers bereavement training

A North East hospice has partnered with a regional mental health charity to strengthen bereavement support skills among frontline staff.

St Oswald’s Hospice has collaborated with Everyturn Mental Health to deliver specialist bereavement training for colleagues from across the region. 

The session, held at The Anchorage in North Tyneside, was led by the hospice’s bereavement team and focused on understanding grief and how best to support those experiencing loss.

St Oswald’s has long provided individual and group bereavement support, and now offers tailored training to businesses, charities and public sector organisations. 

The programme forms part of its wider work to improve understanding of grief across communities and professional settings.

Laura Barrett, community projects lead at St Oswald’s Hospice, said: “Bereavement can be overwhelming; impacting our ability to function and our quality of life. 

“It can trigger or contribute to mental health conditions including depression, anxiety and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 

“Bereavement has a detrimental impact on individuals – it affects how we feel about life, how we feel about ourselves and our sense of purpose, the future – because of this it deserves parity with physical health concerns. 

“Our aim is to build skills and confidence within communities so that people feel prepared to support and signpost others when they experience bereavement.”

Everyturn, which provides services for the NHS and local authorities, welcomed staff from multiple sites to attend the training.

Jack Southern, team manager at The Anchorage, added: “This partnership with St Oswald’s Hospice is a powerful example of how working together strengthens our practice. 

“Grief and loss are experiences that touch both our team and the people we support, often in ways that aren’t immediately visible.  

“Laura’s knowledge and experience have helped our team become grief and loss allies and in turn made us better equipped to support open, honest conversations with both colleagues and the people we support. 

“She’s also helped us build the confidence, compassion, and understanding needed to have these conversations well. 

“The session was delivered with great sensitivity and was hugely insightful.”

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