Maternity staff at Watford General Hospital welcomed MP Richard Harrington to their ward during Baby Loss Awareness Week to demonstrate how the hospital has improved bereavement support for families who experience baby loss.

West Hertfordshire Hospitals Trust has developed its maternity bereavement services and improved the provision of care with the support of the local stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands.

The trust appointed a specialist bereavement midwife this July, in addition to recruiting more than 20 midwives over the summer.

Women who have experienced baby loss from 12 weeks into pregnancy onwards receive continuous care and support from the bereavement midwife, who keeps in close contact, referring women to counselling support services in the trust, helping the family to make memories, and providing follow-up support.

Lead bereavement midwife Kate Flack said: “Baby loss is the last taboo in society. We talk about everything else, but people just don’t know what to say to someone who has lost a baby.

“This is why Baby Loss Awareness Week is so important. It’s really done a lot over the past few years for helping to raise public awareness of the issue.”

Dr Gloria Rowland, associate director for midwifery and gynaecology nursing, added: “We’re grateful for Richard’s visit today so he can see how far we’ve come. We’ve been on an amazing journey at Watford this year and have really turned the service around.

“I’m looking forward to continuing to improve the experience of women here, especially those women who have experienced loss at any stage of their pregnancy.”

Watford MP Richard Harrington said: “It was a pleasure to meet with the nursing and midwifery staff at Watford General to see the fantastic work they’re doing to support women and improve the experience of those who suffer bereavement at any stage during pregnancy.

“I’m a strong supporter of the hospital and really welcome the efforts they have made to improve facilities for bereaved families, and introduce a specially trained bereavement midwife.

“As we learned today, good care doesn’t make pregnancy loss any easier, but bad care makes it even more unbearable.”