The pastoral care teams at Werribee Mercy Hospital and the Mercy Hospital for Women have been recognised with a national award.
The teams were recently presented with an Excellence in Pastoral Care Award at the Catholic Health Australia Awards in Hobart.
The pastoral care teams work in maternity and neonatal services, providing spiritual and emotional care to patients, including the parents of a premature babies and women who have experienced a miscarriage or stillbirth.
Werribee Mercy Hospital pastoral care manager Trudy Keur from the Religious Sisters of Mercy said it was an “honour” to be trusted by patients and their families.
“We attend to mothers, partners and often complex family units through their grief journey, engaging, explaining, offering emotional guidance and meaningful rituals,” Sister Keur said.
“We also highlight to staff the importance of acknowledgment and information about ongoing bereavement care.”
Mercy Health health service chief executive Linda Mellors said the pastoral care teams provided “invaluable support” to patients.
