Racheal Crane, from James Paget University Hospitals NHS Trust, recently won the Archie Bereavement Professional Award at the Mariposa Awards

Empathy is everything in a healthcare role. It has been 10 years since I lost my little boy, Max. At that point I was doing voluntary breastfeeding support at the hospital and, when I lost him, I realised the support I needed just wasn’t there.

It wasn’t until I got home that I realised I needed someone to get in touch with directly. I became determined to offer that support to bereaved families. That was when I went for a job as a maternity support worker (MSW).

The room where parents experience or receive news of their loss was always seen as a room MSWs shouldn’t go into. But I believe in things happening for a reason. Sometimes the buzzer would go and no midwife was there, so I would go in. I couldn’t help but bring up that I too had lost a little one, and I felt their pain. That sparked so many friendships, which I still have.

My head of midwifery at the time encouraged me to apply for the Nursing, Midwifery and Allied Health Professionals (NMAHP) scholarship programme. She knew how much losing Max meant to me. I was only a Band 2 at that point, but she said: “We know that you’ve got just as much passion, if not more, than a Band 7 who could be given this opportunity.”

Making it happen

I was accepted to the NMAHP scholarship in 2022. I had one day a week to do my research, which involved working with lots of charities, building a network and reaching out to bereaved families. I was also asked to make my own business case and job description, then had another year to act in the role before presenting it to the Trust and interviewing for the job. Thankfully, I got it.

Having a pregnancy book (like the red book) in early pregnancy assessment and A&E has proven to work really well, as not only are doctors able to point bereaved families to me for support, but they can also feel they’ve done their best and not rushed families away with nothing. Families know they’ll be offered the support they deserve at any gestation. This gives them self-worth, which in the current NHS is so needed.

My dream is to set up Max’s Legacy as a registered charity and roll it out. If they could employ a ‘me’ in every Trust and Board, every family would get that support.

MSWs don’t always have a degree or A Levels, but it doesn’t matter. You could have a PhD, but if you can’t be empathetic with families, you might as well not be there. To other MSWs with a dream to lead on something they’re passionate about – find one person who believes in you and that support will carry you through. If you believe in something as much as I did, don’t ever give up.

MORE INFO

RCM i-learn module One chance to get it right: bereavement care (study time: 3.5 hours)