What should good bereavement service support look like? Findings from pre-pandemic workshop discussions interpreted in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic

introduction: There has been a lack of consistency in approaches to bereavement support provision and evaluation. As part of a study which identified outcomes for adult bereavement support services in palliative care, we conducted stakeholder workshops with people from professional and lived experience backgrounds, providing a view on what support interventions should look like. aims: The aims of this first workshop were to gather stakeholder views on the purpose, impacts and outcomes of bereavement service support. In this paper we summarise these findings and consider their relevance to bereavement support during and following the Covid-19 pandemic. Methods: Stakeholders were divided into three groups and asked to consider how support services should help bereaved service users and what good bereavement service support looks like. Key themes were identified from the written and verbal content of the workshop.Findings: Three main themes emerged from the data;informal support and self¬management;the aims and purpose of bereavement service support and the timing, accessibility and quality of support. conclusion: Workshop findings align with public health models of bereavement care and recent service standards, identifying core support functions and aspirations for bereavement services. Finding the best mechanisms and modalities for meeting these, in the context of the late/post-pandemic period, presents both challenges and opportunities. © 2022, Cruse Bereavement Care. All rights reserved.

What is good bereavement support and how can it help? Findings from an expert workshop with bereaved and professional stakeholders

IntroductionBereavement support comes in different forms and degrees of formality, reflecting the varying needs of bereaved people. Following the Covid-19 pandemic there is renewed interest in improving the support available for bereaved people, seen in the UK Commission on Bereavement. This (pre-pandemic) Marie Curie funded study identified core outcomes for the evaluation of adult bereavement support interventions. The first part of this study involved a stakeholder-workshop with people from professional and lived experience backgrounds.AimsThe workshop aimed to gather stakeholder views on what good bereavement support looks like and the impacts that it should have for bereaved service users.Method21 bereaved and professional stakeholders were divided into three groups and asked to discuss how support services should benefit their service users. Key themes were identified from these sessions.ResultsThree main themes emerged from the discussions;informal support and self-management;the purpose and impacts of bereavement service support and the timing, accessibility and quality of support. It was agreed that support services should work to promote resilience, enable coping and improve social functioning and relationships, offering practical as well as emotional support. Support should be tailored to individual needs, be accessible to people from diverse socio-cultural backgrounds and be available at different stages of the bereavement process. Identifying and responding to those with more complex grief or mental health problems is vital.ConclusionThis stakeholder workshop identified key support functions, impacts and goals for adult bereavement services, which align with resilience and public health approaches to bereavement support.ImpactWorkshop themes featured centrally in the two core outcomes identified in the wider study (‘ability to cope’ and ‘quality of life and wellbeing’).Identifying the best mechanisms and modalities for achieving these outcomes presents a challenge and opportunity, as we respond to the adaptations and renewed interest in bereavement support brought by the pandemic.