Talking about Bereavement

In this episode, Dr Clare Tucker talks to Louise Adams, National Manager of Supporting Families Bereaved by Crime Service, Victim Support Scotland who shares the challenges faced by families bereaved through homicide and how Victim Support Scotland can best support them. Louise explains the importance of family-led, compassionate, and flexible support, helping people navigate both profound grief and the complexities of the justice system while ensuring families are informed and feel heard.

Access the Victim Support Scotland website.

This podcast deals with issues related to death and bereavement and was created for health and social care staff. Caution is advised as some may find the themes upsetting. If this content might disturb you or those around you, please reconsider listening or accessing the podcast transcript.

Access a transcript of Supporting those Bereaved by Homicide: Learning Through Families' Experiences episode which can be found on our website.

Please note the views and perspectives expressed by guests on the podcast do not necessarily represent those of PSD Scotland. The information contained in this podcast is current at the point of publication, with no guarantee of future relevance.

Let us know what you think about our podcast by completing the Talking About Bereavement feedback form.

In this episode, Lynne Innes talks to Dr Radha Sundaram, Consultant Anaesthetist, Royal Alexandra Hospital, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, Rachel Seligman, Specialist Nurse - Organ Donation / Specialist Requester, NHS Blood and Transplant and Caroline Gallier, Specialist Nurse - Organ Donation / Tissue and Bone Donor Coordinator, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service.

The guests share the importance of conversations around organ and tissue donation. Drawing on their professional experience, guests highlight how compassionate communication and understanding what mattered most to individuals can support families who are anticipating loss or navigating grief.

This podcast deals with issues related to death and bereavement and was created for health and social care staff. Caution is advised as some may find the themes upsetting. If this content might disturb you or those around you, please reconsider listening or accessing the podcast transcript.

Access a transcript of What matters to you in death? Conversations around organ and tissue donation episode, which can be found on our website.

Please note the views and perspectives expressed by guests on the podcast do not necessarily represent those of PSD Scotland. The information contained in this podcast is current at the point of publication, with no guarantee of future relevance.

Let us know what you think about our podcast by completing the Talking About Bereavement feedback form.

In this episode, Dr Clare Tucker talks to Martin Jeffrey, Funeral service professional / Embalming and Post-mortem Reconstruction Specialist / Mortuary Operations Manager who shares how his work supports families who are bereaved. He explains that reconstruction makes it possible for families to view the deceased and say goodbye – providing an important sense of closure that can support the grieving process. Through powerful examples from his career, Martin highlights the lasting impact this can have on families and emphasises the importance of treating those who have died with dignity, respect and compassion. Please proceed in exploring this podcast episode with care.

This podcast deals with issues related to death and bereavement and was created for health and social care staff. Caution is advised as some may find the themes upsetting. If this content might disturb you or those around you, please reconsider listening or accessing the podcast transcript.

Access a transcript of The Work of an Embalmer & Post Mortem Reconstruction Specialist episode, which can be found on our website.

Please note the views and perspectives expressed by guests on the podcast do not necessarily represent those of PSD Scotland. The information contained in this podcast is current at the point of publication, with no guarantee of future relevance.

Let us know what you think about our podcast by completing the Talking About Bereavement feedback form.

In this episode, Dr Clare Tucker talks to Hollyann Foubister, Anatomical Pathology Technologist, NHS Grampian who discusses her role caring for patients after death. Holly challenges the misconceptions about mortuaries, highlights the importance of educating both healthcare staff and families about what happens after a death and promoting open conversations about death and bereavement.

This podcast deals with issues related to death and bereavement and was created for health and social care staff. Caution is advised as some may find the themes upsetting. If this content might disturb you or those around you, please reconsider listening or accessing the podcast transcript.

Access a transcript of Care in the quiet spaces: Inside a mortuary episode, which can be found on our website.

Please note the views and perspectives expressed by guests on the podcast do not necessarily represent those of PSD Scotland. The information contained in this podcast is current at the point of publication, with no guarantee of future relevance.

Let us know what you think about our podcast by completing the Talking About Bereavement feedback form.

In this episode, Dr Clare Tucker talks to Dr Graham Whyte, Palliative Medicine Consultant, Marie Curie Hospice Glasgow / Associate Postgraduate Dean – Bereavement, Public Services Delivery Scotland who discusses the often-overlooked impact that patient deaths can have on health and social care staff. He highlights the concept of professional grief, emphasising that it is normal for staff to be affected by the deaths of people they care for and stresses the importance of open conversations, peer support and recognising grief rather than suppressing it. The discussion also considers whether staff should attend the funerals of people they cared for, highlighting that there is no single correct approach.

This podcast deals with issues related to death and bereavement and was created for health and social care staff. Caution is advised as some may find the themes upsetting. If this content might disturb you or those around you, please reconsider listening or accessing the podcast transcript.

Access a transcript of Beyond the Bedside: Navigating professional grief and decisions about attending funerals episode, which can be found on our website.

Please note the views and perspectives expressed by guests on the podcast do not necessarily represent those of PSD Scotland. The information contained in this podcast is current at the point of publication, with no guarantee of future relevance.

Let us know what you think about our podcast by completing the Talking About Bereavement feedback form.

In this episode, Dr Clare Tucker talks to Jade Linden, Community Projects Lead, Simba Charity who discusses the importance of supporting families following baby loss through compassionate bereavement care and meaningful memory-making opportunities. She explains how memory boxes help affirm parental identity, create lasting memories and provide families with tangible keepsakes that can support them throughout their grief journey.

Access the resources mentioned in this podcast:

• Simba Charity website
• National Bereavement Care Pathway website

This podcast deals with issues related to death and bereavement and was created for health and social care staff. Caution is advised as some may find the themes upsetting. If this content might disturb you or those around you, please reconsider listening or accessing the podcast transcript.

Access a transcript of Memory Making Matters: Supporting Families After Baby Loss episode, which can be found on our website.

Please note the views and perspectives expressed by guests on the podcast do not necessarily represent those of PSD Scotland. The information contained in this podcast is current at the point of publication, with no guarantee of future relevance.

Let us know what you think about our podcast by completing the Talking About Bereavement feedback form.

In this episode, Dr Clare Tucker talks to Giorgos Tsiris, Music Therapy Professor, Queen Margaret University / Director of Education, Research and Creative Arts at St Columba’s Hospice Care, Edinburgh, Dr Tracey McConnell, Lecturer in chronic illness and palliative care / Honorary Marie Curie Research Fellow, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen's University Belfast and Dr Lisa Graham Wisner, Reader in Health Psychology, Queen's University Belfast / Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow, British Psychological Society. 

The guests share what music therapy is, what happens in a music therapy session and the role that music therapy can play in bereavement and palliative care. 

Access the resources / publications mentioned in this podcast:

• British Association for Music Therapy (BAMT)
• Graham-Wisener, L., & McConnell, T. (2024). Music therapy could help manage the pain of bereavement. The Conversation.
• ‘GRESCO Agape’ - A songwriting project for change, loss and grief (video resource). A chapter regarding this songwriting project is also available: Tsiris, G. (2024) ‘“GRESCO Agape” – An international songwriting project for hospice patients and school children’, in C. Dileo and M. Baroni (eds) Music therapy at the end of life. Second edition. Jeffrey Books.
• Musical care at the end of life (video resource)
• The Bereavement Charter for Adults and Children in Scotland

This podcast deals with issues related to death and bereavement and was created for health and social care staff. Caution is advised as some may find the themes upsetting. If this content might disturb you or those around you, please reconsider listening or accessing the podcast transcript.

Access a transcript of What can music therapy offer when facing death, loss and grief? episode, which can be found on our website.

Please note the views and perspectives expressed by guests on the podcast do not necessarily represent those of PSD Scotland. The information contained in this podcast is current at the point of publication, with no guarantee of future relevance.

Let us know what you think about our podcast by completing the Talking About Bereavement feedback form.

In this special episode of the podcast that was recorded at the PSD Scotland Bereavement Education Conference 2025, Lynne Innes talks to Helen Fielding, Novelist, Screenwriter and Journalist, best known as the creator of Bridget Jones.

Helen reflects on how she approached writing about bereavement – highlighting that grief is not a linear process but something that can be messy and intertwined with everyday life. Through Bridget’s story, Helen explores how people can move in and out of sadness whilst often finding moments of humour, connection and joy alongside loss.

The discussion highlights the importance of community, emphasising that coping with grief isn’t about ‘getting it right’ but about staying connected to others and allowing space for imperfection. Helen also shares personal insights that shaped the story, including her own experiences of loss.

This podcast deals with issues related to death and bereavement and was created for health and social care staff. Caution is advised as some may find the themes upsetting. If this content might disturb you or those around you, please reconsider listening or accessing the podcast transcript.

Access a transcript of What can Bridget Jones teach us about Bereavement? In Conversation with Helen Fielding episode, which can be found on our website.

Please note the views and perspectives expressed by guests on the podcast do not necessarily represent those of PSD Scotland. The information contained in this podcast is current at the point of publication, with no guarantee of future relevance.

Let us know what you think about our podcast by completing the Talking About Bereavement feedback form.