Supporting colleagues during difficult times
When a colleague dies, the impact on a team can be profound. NHS Fife and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) recognised the need to proactively support staff in navigating such difficult experiences. The NES Bereavement Education Programme had already developed the Bereavement in the Workplace online education resource — a compassionate, evidence-informed programme designed to help teams respond with sensitivity and confidence and together NHS Fife and NES worked collaboratively to introduce a bespoke in-person course for colleagues in the workplace.
Background
Experiencing the death of a colleague is a situation we would all hope not to encounter. However, NHS Fife and NES saw value in preparing staff for this possibility. Their aim was to foster a culture of compassion and resilience, ensuring that staff feel supported and equipped to respond appropriately.
The Idea
To support staff following the death of a colleague, NHS Fife’s Spiritual Care team collaborated with NES to design and deliver a bespoke Bereavement in the Workplace course. The course integrates NES’s five-module e-learning programme with in-person sessions, reflective practice, and lived experience.
The Process
The course was developed and delivered through:
- Onsite, in-person sessions facilitated by NHS Fife’s Spiritual Care team.
- NES’s Bereavement Education Programme, including five e-learning modules.
- Collaborative input from staff with lived experience of workplace bereavement.
- Learner-centred materials, including real-life case studies and current guidance.
- Simulated practice and reflection, using a values-based approach across four sessions.
To address attendance challenges, a flipped classroom model was introduced, allowing participants to engage with pre-course materials and complete learning between sessions.
The Impact
This initiative has:
- Enhanced staff confidence in responding to bereavement.
- Strengthened NHS Fife’s commitment to staff wellbeing.
- Fostered a compassionate workplace culture.
- Contributed to improved patient care through emotionally supported staff.
Evidence shows that kindness and compassion in the workplace increase staff commitment and strengthen team connections — especially during times of loss.
Thinking of setting up something similar?
- Value learning together: Proactive learning about bereavement can prepare teams for future challenges.
- Embrace collaboration: Cross-board partnerships enabled the development of high-quality, evidence-based resources that can be shared across Scotland.
How does this align with the Leadership Success Profile?
“Creating an inclusive, compassionate and stimulating environment that enables teams to flourish and individuals to display their potential.”
“Creating an inclusive, compassionate and stimulating environment that enables teams to flourish and individuals to display their potential.”
This initiative aligns with the Leadership Success Profile clusters “Shaping Cultures” and “Empowering Systems”, particularly through the “Fostering inclusion and psychological safety” and “Whole System Awareness” dimensions respectively. This is by:
- Creating a compassionate and stimulating environment where staff feel safe to express grief and support one another.
- Recognising the broader emotional and operational impact of bereavement on teams and services.
The Scottish Government has published Improving Wellbeing and Working Cultures (IWWC), which sets out a vision to support and enhance local cultures across our health, social care and social work organisations through programmes of work at a national level that focus on the three pillars of wellbeing, leadership and equality. You can find out more about IWWC by reading this blog by Dr Elizabeth Kelly.
