A TEAM of midwives have been shortlisted for a national award.
The midwifery bereavement team at Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust (BHRUT) have made it to the last three in the Royal College of Midwives 2013 awards.
The midwives – who care for women giving birth at King George hospital in Goodmayes and Queen’s Hospital in Romford - are in the finals of the Rewarding Excellence in Bereavement Care category.
The team of three dedicated staff care for and support families who have experienced a late miscarriage, still birth or neonatal death.
The Trust deals with almost 10,000 births a year, and with the latest national figures showing that rates of stillbirth have increased to 5.2 in every 1,000 births, it is a busy service.
Bereavement midwife Diane Bellanca said: “This job can take a lot out of you as it is obviously emotionally draining.
“But the positive side is supporting people through a successful second pregnancy.”
The team will find out if they have scooped the top prize at a ceremony in January.
If they win, they will receive a £5,000 bursary which will be used to fund a masters degree in counselling for Diane.
Click here to follow the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian on Twitter
Click here to follow the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian on Facebook
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel