From left: Professor Sir Michael McBride, Chief Medical Officer; Robin Swann, Health Minister, and Dr Patricia Donnelly OBE, Chair of the NI Bereavement Network, discuss the new Bereavement NI website.
Health Minister Robin Swann has launched a new bereavement support website for Northern Ireland.
‘Bereaved NI’ can be accessed at Bereaved | Bereaved (hscni.net) and will provide a range of accessible resources for people who are experiencing bereavement and ensure that they have the required information and support for each stage of their bereavement journey.
Included as part of the new fully accessible website will be information relating to palliative care, pregnancy and baby loss, resources for children and young people, information for people who have been bereaved by suicide and those who have suffered a sudden or traumatic loss, as well as practical support including financial and legal advice.
The Minister said:
“I am delighted to launch the Bereaved NI website which will signpost users to appropriate support at each stage of the bereavement journey.
“Early signposting will help people get the support they need, when they need it, which is critical in making the difficult journey to recovery more achievable.”
As well as providing information and support for the public, the website will include a video wall with accounts of lived experiences and a suite of training and education materials for carers and professionals.
Chief Medical Officer, Professor Sir Michael McBride, said:
“We know that the death of a loved one is a particularly difficult life experience. The development of the new website will provide a central point for those who are bereaved and need some additional support. For the first time, the new website will bring together all of the resources that are available in one place for the benefit of the general public, carers, and professionals.”
Dr Patricia Donnelly OBE, Chair of the Northern Ireland Bereavement Network, acknowledged the impact the COVID-19 pandemic had on the normal grieving rituals when many people may not have been able to experience the same level of face-to-face support from family and friends.
Dr Donnelly said:
“We know that death during normal times is tough to cope with and it was perhaps even more difficult for those bereaved during the COVID-19 pandemic. We recognise that there has been a lot of good work by different organisations and groups to develop bereavement resources and this website aims to make these easily accessible for all.”
The NI Bereavement Network, sponsored by the Chief Medical Officer, was established in April 2021, to address one of the key recommendations in the ‘COVID-19 Guidance: Bereavement Advice and Support’ report.
The NI Bereavement Network is currently chaired by Dr Patricia Donnelly OBE and current membership includes representatives from the HSC network, Voluntary and Community organisations, Patient Client Council and other government departments.
The Bereaved NI website can be accessed here