In memory of Professor Dame Elizabeth Fradd

The Institute of Health Visiting is saddened to hear of the recent death of Professor Dame Elizabeth Fradd, Honorary Fellow of the iHV and champion of health visiting.

Dame Elizabeth Fradd receiving her honorary Fellowship from Pamela Goldberg OBE, chair of iHV in 2016

During her career, having trained as a children’s nurse, Liz held a variety of registered nurse, midwife and health visitor posts before supporting the nursing profession nationally, becoming Deputy Chief Nursing Officer for England and serving as Director of Nursing / Lead Director for reviews and inspections at the Commission for Health Improvement.

Alison Morton, iHV CEO said:

“This is very sad news. Liz was a committed nurse and health visitor, a staunch advocate for the profession and for our work at the iHV. We were privileged to have Liz as an Honorary Fellow at the iHV for many years. Liz was a force for good and I hope that she knew what a difference her support meant to us. On a personal note, Liz was a dear friend to so many and could always be relied upon for wise counsel. Just a few weeks ago, I had the pleasure of spending the day with Liz at an event in the City of London. As usual, Liz was full of energy and enthusiasm, never losing her belief and drive for a better future – I will cherish all these memories, alongside many others. She will be missed by all who worked with her across the nursing and health visiting family and beyond. May she rest in peace following a life well-lived.”

Former iHV Chair, Pamela Goldberg OBE, said:

“Liz was such a positive influence and inspiration to so many inside and outside her profession. She was also a good and supportive friend and will be sorely missed.”

In 2009, Liz was awarded the DBE for services to nursing and healthcare. Alongside being a Fellow of the Institute of Health Visiting, Liz was also honoured for her contributions to nursing and health visiting through her awards as Fellow of the Royal College of Nursing, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, and the Queen’s Nursing Institute. Liz was also a former vice president and honorary professor at the University of Nottingham, and High Sheriff of Nottingham.

Her recent roles included commissioner on the Midlands Engine Health Inequalities Post Covid Commission, Vice-Chair of the UK children’s charity Together for Short Lives, membership of Southwell Cathedral Council and Nomination Committee, clinical advisor to Nourish, Vice President of Rainbows Children’s Hospice, and an advisor to Justice Defenders.

New resource to support #SUDCAwareness

In support of the first ever National SUDC Awareness Day (#SUDCAwareness) for Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (on Monday 18 March), we publish new Good Practice Points for Health Visitors on Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC).

Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood (SUDC) is one of the less recognised medical tragedies of our time. Families often receive limited support but, with clear, compassionate communication, health visitors can have a positive impact on how the family copes. SUDC is the sudden and unexpected death of a child between 1 and 18 years of age, which remains unexplained after a thorough investigation is conducted. This must include examination of the death scene, a post-mortem, and a review of the child and family’s medical history.

iHV is attending today’s launch of the first National SUDC Awareness Day for Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood at a Parliamentary event attended by families, MPs and professionals from across the country. Visit www.sudc.org.uk to learn more about this important cause.

Go to GPP - Sudden Unexplained Death in Childhood

Please note that GPPs are available to iHV members.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

The iHV is a self-funding charity – we can only be successful in our mission to strengthen health visiting practice if the health visiting profession and its supporters join us on our journey. We rely on our membership to develop new resources for our members.

So do join us now!

New series of 6 GPPs on loss, bereavement and grief for #NGAW20

iHV launches a series of six new Good Practice Points (GPPs) for health visitors on loss, bereavement and supporting families with grief during National Grief Awareness Week (#NGAW20):

GPP – Supporting families experiencing pregnancy loss or the death of an unborn baby

This GPP covers miscarriage, ectopic and molar pregnancy, termination of pregnancy for foetal anomaly and multifoetal pregnancy reduction (ToPFA) to align with 2 of the 5 pathways in NBCP. This GPP aims to support informed high quality care once a pregnancy loss has already occurred.

GPP – Supporting families experiencing pregnancy loss or the death of an unborn baby

GPP – Supporting families following the death of a baby

The death of a baby is one of the most traumatic and distressing experiences and will inevitably bring about immense pain and grief. Health visitors are an important source of ongoing care and skilled support for bereaved parents in the weeks, months and years following this most tragic and traumatic of experiences. This GPP considers Stillbirth, Neonatal Loss and Sudden Unexplained Death of an Infant (SUDI).

GPP – Supporting families following the death of a baby

GPP – Supporting families following the death of an infant or child (aged 1 to 4 years)

The agony of losing a child of any age is unparalleled. There is no age or point in time that makes it any easier. The death of a child goes against the natural order we expect life to follow. The longing for the child and the feeling of emptiness can last a lifetime. This GPP considers the support families can benefit from when they lose an infant or child and the processes and issues pertinent for families experiencing such loss.

GPP – Supporting families following the death of an infant or child (aged 1 to 4 years)

GPP – Supporting young children who have lost a parent

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has estimated that 1% of children are likely to experience the death of their mother before they reach their 16th birthday. In England and Wales it is estimated that, each year, 7000 children will lose their mother before they reach 16-years old. Within this GPP, we consider how to support young children who have lost a parent or primary carer.

GPP – Supporting young children who have lost a parent

GPP – Supporting a parent when their partner dies

Losing a partner is devastating at any time in life, however the complexity and additional losses that are felt when you have young children can be especially difficult to endure. This can include losing the father or mother of your child, coping with your children’s grief and the pressures of parenting alone; and, combined with financial insecurity, this can be overwhelming. Within this GPP, we consider how to support a parent who has lost their partner following suicide or death whilst parenting a baby or young infant.

GPP – Supporting a parent when their partner dies

GPP – Supporting parents whose own parent (or early attachment figure) has died

Coping with the death of a parent or primary attachment figure is one of the most traumatic and distressing experiences we all face and will inevitably bring about immense pain and grief. Within this GPP, we consider how to support parents who have lost their own parent (or someone with whom they formed their primary attachment relationship with early in life) during the perinatal period and early years as a parent.

GPP – Supporting parents whose own parent (or early attachment figure) has died

Please note that these GPPs are available to iHV members only.

If you’re not a member, please join us to get access to all of our resources.

So do join us now!

New MBRRACE report published on maternal deaths and morbidity

The Institute joined colleagues from across perinatal services yesterday (Thursday 1 November) to learn lessons from the launch of the 2018 MBRRACE-UK report: Saving Lives, Improving Mothers’ care Lessons learned to inform maternity care from the UK and Ireland Confidential Enquiries into Maternal Death and Morbidity 2014-16.

We commend the report as essential reading for all health visitors and will be prioritising translating the learning into our various training programmes and publications, so that all health visitors and colleagues working with families in the perinatal period, understand the risks and know what to do about them.

Key Points:

A total of 225 women died among 2,301,628 women giving birth, giving a rate of 9.78 deaths per 100,000 women giving birth – which is almost the same as what is was in 2010-2012 (10 women per 100,000 maternities)
Heart disease remains the leading cause of women dying up to 6 weeks after the end of pregnancy
Maternal suicide is the 3rd largest cause of direct maternal deaths during pregnancy and up to 42 days of the end of pregnancy, but it is the leading cause of direct deaths occurring within a year after the end of pregnancy
There are striking inequalities that require urgent attention: Black women are 5 times more likely and Asian women twice as likely to die as white women
Most women who died had multiple health problems and or other vulnerabilities

Key messages:

Healthcare professionals need to challenge assumptions, for example, that symptoms are related to normal pregnancy or the woman has too many complex needs to be helped
Continuity of care is essential for trusting therapeutic relationships between women and their healthcare professional to develop
There needs to be more emphasis on training for non-specialists involved in the care of women in the perinatal period
Women who experience pregnancy or postnatal loss or have a child removed into care need ongoing support – indeed care should increase rather than decrease

Go to MBRRACE report, lay summary and infographic