A literature review on bereavement and bereavement care Developing evidence-based practice in Scotland

This paper reports on a systematic literature review of bereavement and bereavement care commissioned in Scotland to assist the development of policy and practice there. The review identified and appraised papers from a range of health and social care settings in which bereavement care is a feature, such as acute, hospice-and hospital-based care including neonatal and obstetric community and primary care, mental health and teaming disability services, and care of older people, families and children. Specific types of death were also reviewed, eg traumatic and from diseases such as H1V/AIDS. Key messages for each setting and type were identified and overall themes were drawn out which cut across all settings and types. These, it is proposed, represent important features of bereavement and bereavement care which, if acknowledged and addressed, could enhance services.