Patient family needs in pre-hospital bereavement care study
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Patient family needs in the pre-hospital setting when receiving bereavement care provided by UK ambulance services: A qualitative exploratory study
IRAS ID
352327
Contact name
Owen Finney
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
North East Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
No number given, https://research.collegeofparamedics.co.uk/research/item/6773ebb93fc22bfcfded8453
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 8 months, 26 days
Research summary
This study explores how family members experience and perceive bereavement care provided by the ambulance service when a loved one dies in the pre-hospital setting. Bereavement care refers to the support provided to families after the death of a loved one. The study aims to understand what families need during this time and how ambulance services can improve their support.
We will invite people who, in the past two years, have lost a family member while receiving care from the ambulance service. This includes cases where the patient died at the scene or shortly after being transported to the hospital. The two-year time frame ensures that experiences reflect current practices, without focusing on care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Participants will be interviewed either in person at a local ambulance service site or online via Microsoft Teams. The interviews will explore family members' experiences and what they felt was helpful or could have been done differently. Each interview will last between 30 and 60 minutes, and all responses will be anonymised to protect participants’ privacy.
The results will be analysed to identify themes about what families value and need during this difficult time. This will help the ambulance service improve how it supports grieving families.
We will recruit participants through posters in healthcare settings, social media, and partnerships with bereavement charities. Participation is voluntary, and people can withdraw at any point up to 24 hours after the interview.
The study aims to highlight family members’ voices to ensure bereavement care is compassionate and meets their needs. Findings will be shared with the ambulance service and published to improve care standards.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 1 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
25/NE/0079
Date of REC Opinion
14 Aug 2025
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion