Physical and mental health impacts of bereavement and the role of primary care (GP course session 1)

About the event

This session is part of the Grief Academy course ‘Grief and Bereavement in Primary Care’.

The first session will provide essential knowledge for frontline staff. GP facilitator Dr Lynsey Bennett will speak to renowned grief expert Professor Mary-Frances O’Connor about the mental and physical impacts of grief.  They’ll talk about the role of primary care practices in supporting bereaved patients and outline practical ways to integrate compassionate support into time-constrained clinical settings.

Key Topics:

•  The Impact of Grief: The impact of bereavement on a patient’s physical and mental health, including how it might affect their healthcare use, education, and employment.
•  Differentiating Grief Responses: The differences between typical and complex grief, and how to identify Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD).
•  The Public-Health Model of Bereavement: The three-tiered approach to bereavement support and its implications:
  • Primary, preventative interventions for all bereaved people.
  • Secondary interventions targeting patients at risk of bereavement complications.
  • Tertiary interventions that can support those with PGD.
• Supporting Patients Effectively: The vital role of the GP and the wider primary care team in supporting grieving patients, focusing on practical techniques for navigating the challenges of a short consultation window.

Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Describe the physical and mental health impacts of bereavement on patients
• Distinguish complex grief from typical grief and identify PGD