Better training is needed to ensure that NHS staff are able to help bereaved families, health chiefs from Tayside and Fife have said.
The Scottish Government has drawn up a framework on bereavement care, which recommends that health boards review their policies.
The concern is that, if health services do not provide the right care and support after the death of a patient, then grieving relatives may go through additional distress.
NHS Fife said, “Most bereavement and grief is a normal process and one that all staff should be able to support.
“All grades of staff require training medics, nurses, porters, and receptionists and, while this will present a significant challenge in terms of capacity for delivering and attending training, will be supportive to the organisational approach to end-of-life/bereavement care.”
NHS Tayside’s drugs death working group welcomed the government document, but felt there are still issues to be resolved in handling deaths resulting from drug overdoses.
The group said, “These deaths often occur in a residential setting. Police and ambulance may well attend and would need to be involved in the initial response and in signposting to further support.”
Issues to be addressed include media reporting, and that “earlier intervention by witnesses may have averted the death,” it added.