Bereavement care: relationships between the intensive care unit and the general practitioner

This study examines relationships between an intensive care unit and the general practitioners within a local health authority in respect of bereavement care. A questionnaire to all 113 local general practitioners generated a response from 67 (59.3%). While about two-fifths of respondents reported at least one of their patients dying on the intensive care unit, half said that they were often first informed by relatives. Although four-fifths of inner city general practitioners offered some form of bereavement service, it ranked lowest in terms of priority on time, and a further one-seventh provided no service at all. Half the respondents thought that hospital staff could do more to help. The implications for practice are discussed.