Families who suffer the tragic loss of a baby now have access to additional counselling and support at home thanks to a new partnership between NHS Forth Valley and the charity Held in our Hearts.

The charity already provides counselling for families in Forth Valley following the loss of their baby. However, this new initiative will provide additional support to families to support the transition from hospital to home and build on the support already offered by the charity Sands.

The Hospital to Home service offers a range of support including help with planning a funeral or memorial, preparing for follow up hospital appointments, advice on talking to siblings and getting ready to return to work.

NHS Forth Valley Bereavement Team Leader, Anne Richmond, said: “At such a difficult and heartbreaking time for families it is important that they have access to a wide range of practical and emotional support and counselling. The new Hospital to Home service provides this critical support to families in the weeks following a baby loss when they have returned home.

The new service is available to any family that has experienced a loss after 12 weeks and provides 6-8 sessions in their home with a member of the Held in Our Heart’s Hospital to Home team. Families can also be referred for longer term peer support or counselling, if appropriate.

Jayne Scotland, Project Co-ordinator with Held in Our Hearts, said: “Held in Our Hearts is delighted to launch the new Hospital to Home service in partnership with staff at NHS Forth Valley. We will be working closely with local health professionals to help bridge the gap between hospital and home for families who have experienced the devastating loss of their baby.

“Our Hospital to Home support worker will work closely with families who have referred to us by their midwife to provide a range of practical and emotional support, tailored to their individual needs and preferences, over a number of support sessions at a time that suits the family.

“This can include assistance with planning the funeral or memorial, advice on how to talk about the loss with siblings as well as information and resources on coping with grief.”