Siobhan O'Driscoll, senior social worker and bereavement co-ordinator at Beaumont Hospital, helps those on the journey of grief
I work part-time as the bereavement co-ordinator at Beaumont Hospital. I had worked for years as a social worker in the hospital before I was appointed to set up and run the bereavement service.
When I was appointed in January 2001, Beaumont Hospital was the first hospital to have a post dedicated to the development of a bereavement service. Since then, a number of hospitals have followed our model in the development of their services.
I have a number of projects which occupy my time. One of these is the bereavement outreach service which I have developed. Following a bereavement in the hospital, I write to families offering them support and information. After those letters have gone out, I receive a number of calls from people. Some of these involve phone conversations about how they or someone else is coping with the death. I see some people for bereavement counselling and provide others with information about services closer to where they live.
Every year in May and October (over four consecutive Wednesday evenings), I run a bereavement support programme called Coping after a Death. For this, I organise four speakers to talk about the different aspects of grief. Following the talks, we then divide up those who come into support groups depending on whether they have lost a spouse/partner, parent or child. These groups are then facilitated by my social work colleagues.
Many participants go on to make firm friendships with people they meet in these groups. Many people tell us that these programmes help them to understand their grief better and not to feel so alone. We also hold a parents support day for parents who have lost a child or young adult. And in January, we hold a children and young people's interdenominational remembrance service which gives people the opportunity to remember their child with others who have had a similar experience.
Developing, planning and running these programmes takes up a good deal of my time and involves working with colleagues from many other disciplines in the hospital, especially the chaplaincy department.
During my working day, I usually have a number of bereavement counselling sessions as well. This part of my work helps me to stay connected with what the work is really about: how people cope with the death of someone close. Grief is a journey and we walk part of that journey with individuals in bereavement counselling. It is a privilege to help people in this way.
Often when I tell people what I do, they think my job must be morbid. But I love my job and I enjoy the variety. There are huge opportunities to be innovative and creative while doing work that really means something and makes a difference to people's lives.