Research dissemination and outreach
National Bereavement Forum 2019
The second National Forum for the Implementation of National Standards for Bereavement Care Following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death was hosted at University College Cork on 02 March 2019.
International guest speakers included Professor Alexander Heazell, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre & St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester, and Ms Jillian Cassidy, Co-founder & President of Umamanita Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society, Madrid. Professor Heazell shared their experiences of working towards optimal care after pregnancy loss, while Ms Cassidy spoke about the role of civil societies in improving bereavement care and providing resources for health professionals.
Mr Kilian McGrane, National Programme Director, National Women and Infants Health Programme delivered the opening address while Professor Keelin O’Donoghue, Implementation Lead National Standards for Bereavement Care Following Pregnancy Loss and Perinatal Death and Ms Riona Cotter, Programme Manager, provided an overview of the Two Year Implementation Programme. Marie Hunt, Anne Brady and Brenda Casey delivered a Bereavement Clinical Midwife Specialist session. Other topics included:
- Parental Experience of Implementation Process: Ms Christine O’Brien, Parents Forum Member
- Development of Perinatal Bereavement Education Standards: Dr Barbara Coughlan, Assistant Professor. School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Dublin; Dr Margaret Murphy, Lecturer, School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork
- Development of an Education Programme for Support Groups: Stacey Power, PhD Candidate, Pregnancy Loss Research Group, University College Cork
- Development and Evaluation of a Parental Experience Feedback Tool: Anna Maria Verling, Bereavement Clinical Midwife Specialist, Cork University Maternity Hospital; Pregnancy Loss Research Group
- Development and Evaluation of an Audit Tool for Hospital Audit of Bereavement Care: Dr Jennifer Enright Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Senior House Officer, Cork University Maternity Hospital.