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Grieving Scots need more support says Scottish Bereavement Summit

  • Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 3rd July 2023
A map of Scotland with the title 'Scottish Bereavement Summit, summary report 2023

A new report draws attention to the difficulties faced by people who are grieving in Scotland.

The Covid-19 pandemic has left many bereaved people with unresolved issues that impact negatively on their wellbeing.  Wider societal issues, such as the energy crisis and the cost of living crisis are also worsening people’s experiences of bereavement.

“Bereavement is always difficult but Covid-19 made things even harder for people.  Many couldn’t be with dying loved ones and then had to cope with the bereavement in isolation, without access to the support of family and friends.  This has left a legacy of loss, which is being made even worse by the stress and anxiety created by wider factors like worrying about the cost of living.” said Donald Macaskill, Chair of the Scottish Bereavement Charter Group.

The new report is a result of the Scottish Bereavement Summit that took place last October, where bereavement professionals from across Scotland met to explore ways of improving bereavement experiences in Scotland.

The Summit found that bereaved people face many barriers to accessing bereavement services, and that many people aren’t aware of the support that is available.

In addition, bereaved people often don’t get the informal support they need from friends, family and their local community, with workplaces and schools highlighted as places where improvement is needed.

“When going through difficult times, many of us draw strength from the people around us – our family, friends or other communities we’re part of.  But if those people are anxious or unsure about what to do or say around someone who is bereaved, it can mean the person is left feeling even more isolated.” said Mark Hazelwood, CEO, Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care.

The Bereavement Summit Report, launched today, sets out recommendations of how experiences of bereavement can be improved in Scotland.  

“The recommendations all came out of discussions at the Bereavement Summit, so are informed by people who are involved day-to-day in providing bereavement support and who want to help make things better for bereaved people.  Together we tried hard to develop practical, do-able recommendations that can really make a difference.” said Rebecca Patterson, Director of Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief.

A key recommendation is the creation of a National Bereavement Strategy, and the clear allocation of overarching responsibility for bereavement to a Scottish Government Minister.  

The recommendations also suggest ways of helping schools and workplaces to become more supportive of bereaved people, as well as ways to encourage more equitable access to formal bereavement services. 

Find out more about the Scottish Berevement Summit final report at Good Life, Good Death, Good Grief.

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