This plenary session shared the insights and the learning from the findings of the UK Commission on Bereavement. It focused on the recommendations for each nation, in particular for Scotland. To read about the Commission's findings, please click here.

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Slides to accompany the session from each speaker can be viewed here:

• Bishop Sarah Mullally
• Donald Macaskill

A transcript of this video can be found here

This session was pre-recorded for the conference and as such, is available to view in full. In his presentation, the Right Reverend Dr Iain Greenshields shared his insights on the effect of the death of the Queen on the nation.

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Professor Kasket notes that 'Professionals of all stripes often lack confidence and competence in sensitively and constructively handling the wide-ranging and complex digital aspects of death, which include technologically mediated grief, virtual memorialising, and experiences with unpleasant or traumatic situations or incidents involving access to, control over, or assaults upon digital assets and legacy'. This conference session aimed to help delegates better understand the principles and practicalities around digital remains.

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A transcript of this video can be found here

Brigid reflected on her personal experiences of grief, the power of listening and being able to talk about illness, loss and grief.

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A transcript of this video can be found here

There are several scenarios when bereavement support is not available as it does not fit in traditional understanding of bereavement. It is important that these are recognised and people are supported. Professor Maheshwari discussed how these can be recognised and individualised support can be provided.

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 A transcript of this video can be found here

This workshop looked at the way that traumatic events can colour a child or young person’s views of the world, themselves and others, and the way that memories for traumatic events unlike memories for other events, are intrusive, vivid and distressing. Dr Trickey considered how for some children and young people, the traumatic nature of the death of a loved one can obstruct or derail the more natural grieving process. It’s difficult to grieve the loss of someone by remembering their life, if the memories of their death keep getting in the way. Finally the session explored what the evidence says can help a child or young person ‘process’ the event of the death, so that they can start to grieve their loss.

Click on the image to watch the video or here to view it on the NHS Education for Scotland Vimeo channel

A transcript of this video can be found here

Slides to accompany the session can be viewed here

Although death in the Emergency Department is not uncommon, the majority of the time it is unexpected. This can be difficult for relatives, clinicians and the wider ED team (e.g. Porters, Reception Staff, Domestic Staff), and they may encounter distressing or traumatic scenes they did not feel prepared for. In this session, a panel of ED team members discussed these experiences and how they deal with such events.

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A transcript of this video can be found here

This workshop focused on the additional complications of grief following substance use, what all substance related deaths have in common and what we can do to support someone who has lost someone to alcohol or drugs. It had a particular focus around the role of stigma in preventing people accessing support and increasing the feeling of isolation following a death.

Click on the image to watch the video or here to view it on the NHS Education for Scotland Vimeo channel

Slides to accompany the session can be viewed here

A transcript of this video can be found here

This session looked at different approaches to making workplaces more supportive for people who are bereaved and grieving. Speakers discussed how people can be affected by bereavement at work and the practical support measures that can be put in place by managers, Human Resources teams and employees themselves. The speakers also highlighted their work with employers in Inverclyde in adopting the Bereavement Charter Mark in their organisations.

Click on the image to watch the video or here to view it on the NHS Education for Scotland Vimeo channel

A transcript of this video can be found here

Slides to accompany the session can be viewed here

This workshop considered different scenarios around the spiritual dimension and companioning.

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Slides to accompany the session can be viewed here

A transcript of this video can be found here

Your loved one has died and you cannot be with them, you couldn't say goodbye, you can't grieve and you have to go to the funeral handcuffed to strangers. How do you cope? You open a door like any normal day but you don't know what is going to be behind it. Dealing with death at work, colleagues and families. Drink, Drugs, Anger, Emptiness, Rage, Murder, Mental Health....How to cope with unprocessed grief.

Click on the image to watch the video or here to view it on the NHS Education for Scotland Vimeo channel

Slides to accompany the session can be viewed here

A transcript of this video can be found here

People often resort to writing, music, art, poems, video or movies to help them with bereavement, as can staff, to help them cope with work stress. The Scottish Medical Humanities site has examples at: 

• scottishmedicalhumanities.org/human/category/death 
• scottishmedicalhumanities.org/human/death-from-the-other-side-of-the-bed

During this session, small groups discussed examples of different works that could be useful, why, and how they might be presented and used.

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A transcript of this video can be found here

In this session, four speakers discussed advance registration of death, which allows the funeral to be carried out before the review of the Medical Certificate of Cause of Death (MCCD) is complete. Applications for advance registration are considered in special circumstances such as:

• religious or cultural reasons (such as faith requirements to bury a person's body quickly)
• compassionate reasons (where delays could cause significant and unnecessary distress) or, 
• practical or administrative reasons (for example, family have travelled from abroad to attend the funeral)

Click on the image to watch the video or here to view it on the NHS Education for Scotland Vimeo channel

A transcript of this video can be found here

This session featured a range of speakers looking at how we can be impacted by grief and loss even before a person’s death due a variety of different circumstances and life events. Known as anticipatory grief, this may affect people at different stages of their lives – the session featured experiences of e.g. a parent whose baby or child has a life-limiting condition or illness. Speakers discussed the impact this can have on people, and looked at ways of providing support to those affected.

Click on the image to watch the video or here to view it on the NHS Education for Scotland Vimeo channel

A transcript of this video can be found here