Providing contact cards for relatives following bereavement
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Providing contact cards for relatives following bereavement

Kathryn Clarke Clinical nurse manager, Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wrexham
Neil Pearson Complaints officer, Wrexham Maelor Hospital, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, Wrexham

This article describes the implementation of a Welsh Assembly Government policy to improve customer service and provide an opportunity for relatives to seek further information about the death of a loved one in an acute hospital setting. A new relative-centred pathway has been developed. It offers a single point of contact for recently bereaved relatives and provides an opportunity to discuss any concerns or anxieties in relation to the care and/or treatment in the final hours of their loved one’s life. The pathway includes a contact card with the name and number of a designated person and is a more informal, empathetic and person-centred service than the formal complaint process.

Nursing Standard. 24, 44, 35-37. doi: 10.7748/ns2010.07.24.44.35.c7884

Correspondence

kath.clarke@wales.nhs.uk

Peer review

This article has been subject to double blind peer review

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