HSE says no funding in place for dedicated bereavement officer at MUH

THE HSE has not yet applied for funding for a bereavement officer at Mayo University Hospital (MUH), the HSE Regional Forum West has been told.

Responding to a query from Cllr Michael Kilcoyne, a senior HSE official said that it will apply for funding for a dedicated position as part of an estimates process in future.

Cllr Kilcoyne’s question came on foot of a letter that appeared in The Connaught Telegraph where a patient recalled seeing a dying patient’s loved ones calling to pay their respects in a shared ward at MUH.

MUH has a number of programmes in place to enhance the quality of end-of-life care. It currently has two CNS palliative care nurses, 0.5 end-of-life co-ordinator and a bereavement midwife for maternity, but none for the general hospital population.

Social workers also liaise with bereaved families in certain circumstances.

There has previously never been a resource for a Bereavement Officer in the hospital for the general services.

“It is accepted that there is a requirement for a Bereavement Officer at MUH and we will continue to review any funding stream which could lead to this appointment,” Anne Cosgrove, Interim CEO of Saolta University Health Care Group, wrote in reply to Cllr Kilcoyne.