£100,000 bereavement suite opened at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital
New suite aims to offer comfort to grieving families
A newly refurbished £100,000 bereavement suite has been unveiled at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital, designed to support grieving families who have lost their babies during pregnancy or soon after birth.
The suite is located on the hospital’s Labour Ward and has been renovated to offer a tranquil environment for families during a difficult time.
Thanks to the support of hospital charity WISHH and fundraising efforts by bereaved parents, the suite provides a separate entrance area, followed by a clinical space decorated with soothing colours and soft furnishings.
A "cold cot" is available to allow parents to spend time with their baby, and the suite includes amenities such as a double bed, sofa, TV, and kitchen facilities.
Open access visiting is implemented, enabling relatives, including other children, to visit if desired by the parents.
Jenna Cadden, Lead Bereavement Midwife at Hull Women and Children’s Hospital, emphasised the suite’s importance in providing a peaceful experience for families during a painful period.
Jenna said: "We hope this new suite will make what is a terrible time for parents a little less intimidating and as close to a normal experience as possible."
"Feedback from parents has helped us with the design and we’ve improved soundproofing to cut down on the noise from the Labour Ward, which families can find upsetting."
"Many parents who have experienced the loss of their own babies have raised funds for the new suite, so we’d like to say a massive thank you to them for thinking about other people despite what they’re already going through."
Jenna added: "This will help us improve the overall experience, making this as peaceful an experience as we possibly can. While some families wish to have their baby and go home, others wish to spend a few days with their baby so we will not be rushing anyone away."