Written question WQ100185

The Welsh Government recognises that the loss of a child can have a profound impact on the mental health and wellbeing of bereaved parents. A range of national and local support services are available to bereaved families in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area, including bereavement, mental health and specialist support pathways.

The National Bereavement Care Pathway and the Framework for the Delivery of Bereavement Care in Wales support health boards and partner organisations to provide consistent, compassionate and person-centred bereavement support. Through these arrangements, bereaved parents can access support through primary care, community services, specialist bereavement provision and mental health services, according to their individual needs.

Welsh Government also continues to invest in bereavement support through the Bereavement Support Grant, which helps strengthen services across Wales and improve access to appropriate support for individuals and families experiencing bereavement, including those requiring specialist interventions for complex grief.

We recognise that bereavement following a sudden or traumatic death, including suspected or confirmed suicide, can be particularly devastating. This is why we commissioned the National Advisory and Liaison Service (NALS), which provides a consistent, timely and proactive offer of support to people exposed to, affected by, or bereaved following a sudden unexplained death that may be a suicide. The service helps people access practical, emotional and psychological support at an early stage.

More broadly, as part of the implementation of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, we are moving towards open-access mental health services. NHS Performance and Improvement colleagues are working with health boards, including Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, to support this work, and a range of demonstrator pilots are currently testing the model to improve timely access to mental health support.

Together, these measures help ensure that bereaved parents in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board area are able to access appropriate bereavement and mental health support based on their individual circumstances and needs.