On this page you will find information and resources for sharing with your families as appropriate.
We don't want to overwhelm anyone so recommend sharing information about the support options you feel are most appropriate for your family.
Practical information
Practical information about what to do when someone dies and signposting to local information can be found on the Government website: www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies
When someone dies there are several organisations that may need to be notified. This notification table provides an overview to help someone who maybe going through this process consider the practical steps they may need or wish to take.
Our website
The following pages on our Trust website have been developed with Trust experts to provide support, information, advice and signposting information. You may find it useful to share information from these pages with your families:
- www.nwbh.nhs.uk/bereavement
- www.nwbh.nhs.uk/support-after-suicide
- www.nwbh.nhs.uk/patient-advice-complaints
As part of the Kinnect project, additional information will be added to the Trust website to provide information to anyone who wishes to understand more about:
- What we do when there's been a serious incident to outline our processes, share useful information and signposting.
- Family support lead to include information about the family support lead role and what patients, families or carers expect from us. We also hope to have a video of a family support lead talking about their role and what's involved and hope to have a family share their experiences of how this role has supported them.
External organisations, agencies and groups
Use the dropdown headings below to find details of organisations that the provide support most suited to the needs of the family you are supporting.
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Sudden is a not-for-profit service hosted by the support charity, Brake who we received funding support from the Department of Health and Social Care. They are here for people who have been bereaved suddenly or too soon by:
Visit: www.sudden.org Call: 0800 2600 400 (Monday to Friday, 10am to 4pm) Email: help@sudden.org.uk |
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Cruse Bereavement Care supports people after the death of someone close. Their trained volunteers offer confidential face-to-face, telephone, email and website support, with both national and local services. They also have services specifically for children and young people. Visit: www.cruse.org.uk Call: 0800 808 1677
Email: helpline@cruse.org.uk |
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At a loss provide a signposting website for the bereaved, directing the bereaved and those supporting them to information and services appropriate to their loss. Visit: www.ataloss.org |
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The Compassionate Friends is a charitable organisation of bereaved parents, siblings and grandparents dedicated to the support and care of other similarly bereaved family members who have suffered the death of a child or children of any age and from any cause. It offers online support, a telephone helpline, access to resources as well as local support groups. Visit: www.tcf.org.uk Call: 0345 123 2304 (available every day including bank holidays from 10am to 4pm and 7pm to 10pm) Email: helpline@tcf.org.uk |
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Butterflies offers counselling to children and young people suffering as a result of bereavement of loss (including divorce or separation). Visit: listening-ear.co.uk/butterflies/ Call: 0151 488 6648 Areas covered: Halton, Knowsley, St Helens |
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Winston's Wish supports bereaved children, young people, their families and the professionals who support them. They provide specialist child bereavement support services offering emotional and practical bereavement support. Visit: www.winstonswish.org Call: 08088 020 021 |
If the family you are supporting have been bereaved by suicide, the Help is at Hand booklet should be taken to give to the family at your first meeting.
It offers them a practical guide covering advice, links and phone numbers to support them with how they might feel and what might happen. It includes personal stories and it can also help them navigate the coroner's courts, funerals, supporting children etc.
Printed copies of this booklet are available from the Trust library service or you can order up to 10 copies. These can be ordered by quoting 2901502/Help is at Hand at www.orderline.dh.gov.uk or by calling 0300 123 1002.
The booklet is available from our website and can be downloaded here: Help is at Hand.
It may also be useful to be aware of and share information about the following bereavement support organisations as appropriate for your family…
AMPARO provides emotional and practical support support following suicide. Amparo is not a counselling service but supports through experienced liaison workers can listen to individual needs and assist in accessing the support needed. The can also help with practical matters such as dealing with police and coroners, helping with media enquiries, preparing for and attending inquest and helping access other local support services. Visit: listening-ear.co.uk/amparo Areas covered: National with local groups
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The Support After Suicide Partnership brings together suicide bereavement organisations and people with lived experience, to give practical and emotional support for anyone bereaved by suicide. Visit: supportaftersuicide.org.uk/ Areas covered: National |
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Compassionate Friends provides support for all families bereaved after the death of a child or children.
Visit: www.tcf.org.uk Call: 0845 123 2304, available daily 10am to 4pm and 7pm to 10pm
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Child Death helpline provides a freephone helpline for anyone affected by a child's death, from pre-birth to the death of an adult child, however recently or long ago and whatever the circumstances of the death. There is a translation service to support those for whom English is not a first language. Volunteers who staff the helpline are all bereaved parents, although supported and trained by professionals.
Visit: childdeathhelpline.org.uk Call: 0800 282 986 or 0808 800 6017 |
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Child Bereavement UK supports families and educates professionals when a baby or child of any age dies or is dying, or when a child or young person (up to age 25) is facing bereavement. This includes supporting adults to support a bereaved child or young person. All support is free, confidential, has no time limit, and includes face-to-face sessions and booked telephone support. Visit: www.childbereavementuk.org Call: 0800 028 8840 |
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Sands Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Charity: Supports those affected by the death of a baby before, during and shortly after birth, providing a bereavement support helpline, a network of support groups, an online forum and message board.
Visit: www.sands.org.uk Call: 0808 164 3332 Email: helpline@sands.org.uk |
This type of bereavement is unique, many people feel isolated and fearful with some experiencing 'flashbacks' and feeling as if no one can understand how they feel.
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SAMM is a national charity offering non-judgemental, compassionate support via a telephone helpline and, as and when possible, weekend non-religious retreats involving holistic therapies and information on a wide range of topics dealing with the aftermath of murder. Visit: samm.org.uk Call: 0845 872 3440 Email: info@samm.org.uk |
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Hundred Families Offers support, information and practical advice for families who have been bereaved by people with mental health problems, including information on health service investigations. Visit: www.hundredfamilies.org Download: A practical guide for families after a mental health homicide |
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Advocacy After Fatal Domestic Abuse (AAFDA) is a unique organisation able to give peer and expert support after fatal domestic abuse. It specialises in guiding families through inquiries including domestic homicide reviews and mental health reviews, and assists with and represent on inquests, Independent Office for Police Conduct (IPOC) inquiries and other reviews. Web: www.aafda.org.uk Call: 07768 386922 - Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm |
RESPOND supports people with learning disabilities and their families and supporters to lessen the effect of trauma and abuse. They do this through psychotherapy, advocacy and campaigning.
Visit: respond.org.uk/
Call: 020 7383 0700
Email: admin@respond.org.uk
You may also feel it's helpful to share information about the following organisations who can offer independent advice and support.
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INQUEST Provides free and independent advice to bereaved families on investigations, inquests and other legal processes following a death in custody and detention. This includes deaths in mental health settings. Visit: www.inquest.org.uk |
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Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA) is an independent national charity that specialises in advising people who have been affected by lapses in patient safety (medical accidents). |
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Patients association provides advice, support and guidance to family members with a national helpline providing specialist information, advice and signposting. This does not include medical or legal advice. It can also help you make a complaint to the Care Quality Commission. Visit: www.patients-association.org.uk Call: 0208 423 8999 or 0800 345 7115 |