Hartlepool hospital trust Covid-19 nurses go out of way to comfort bereaved families

With the family of seriously ill patients unable to visit them in hospital or be with them at the end, the staff from North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust wanted to do something to show they were loved and had someone by their side.

Nurses on the Surgical Decision Unit and Ward 30 have made over 400 comfort bags so far which contain a candle and a moving poem written by staff nurse Claire Pollock.

They have been distributed to local funeral directors to share with grieving families, and the Critical Care team at the Trust also have a supply to share with relatives who need them most.

Staff nurse Rachel De Silva said: “We have seen amazing levels of care being delivered to every single patient that arrives at our Trust, but we have seen some very sad scenes too.

“We want family members to feel they are part of the care as much as possible, and this is a genuine, heartfelt way of doing that.”

Related: What you need to know about organising funerals

The nurses even used some of their own money to make the comfort bags which have been well received.

Alison Crake, senior partner at Crake and Mallon Funeral Service, said: “Loss and bereavement are difficult for all families but the impact of Covid-19 has had a devastating effect on our community, due to the restrictions around the arranging of funerals, with limited numbers of mourners who can attend and the impact of social distancing guidelines.

“Our hearts go out to all those in our community who are grieving. These care packages are a thoughtful, considerate token that will offer comfort to all involved.”

Tom Bingham, Specialist Services Clinical Manager at the Trust, added: “To be able to give the families a token gesture like the ones Claire and her team have provided is absolutely invaluable – it lets family and friends know that we are thinking of them, as well as offering a link in with their loved ones.”

Related: Nine more cases of coronavirus confirmed in Hartlepool

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