Amrit Dhillon, Ms Amanda Forti
Abstract:
Background:
Pregnancy loss is a profound and life-altering experience, yet access to culturally safe, equitable bereavement care remains inconsistent across Australia, particularly for vulnerable populations including First Nations families, culturally and linguistically diverse communities, refugees and migrants, young parents, and those living in rural and remote areas. Health professionals working outside metropolitan settings often report limited access to training, resources and specialist support to confidently manage pregnancy loss. In response, Red Nose Australia initiated the Healing Through Community project to strengthen clinician capability and improve family experiences of care through a collaborative, co-designed national model.
Methods:
The project employed a rigorous co-design methodology over six months, engaging community members with lived experience alongside multidisciplinary clinical partners. A national steering committee included representation from rural and remote health services, with active contribution from CRANAplus to ensure relevance to remote practice contexts. Extensive consultation explored entry points into care (maternity, emergency, and community settings), systemic barriers, cultural safety needs, and workforce challenges. Insights directly informed the design and delivery of practical clinical tools.
Intervention:
The initiative produced a suite of seven short, scenario-based clinical education videos supported by concise care guidelines and targeted, patient-centred resources. Materials were designed for rapid, point-of-care use as well as integration into education and training programs, with a strong emphasis on cultural safety, communication, handover, self-care, and tailored support for priority population groups.
Results:
Early implementation has been highly positive, with tertiary hospitals nationally embedding the resources into clinical practice and learning systems, and alignment with national stillbirth and perinatal education frameworks. Clinicians report increased confidence, practical applicability, and improved capacity to deliver culturally responsive care. Community feedback highlights improved recognition, validation and navigation of health systems, with families reporting that they “see themselves” reflected in the resources.
Conclusion:
This project demonstrates that genuine co-design and cross-sector collaboration can produce scalable, implementable resources that improve both clinical practice and patient experience. Embedding lived experience and rural and remote workforce perspectives throughout development ensures relevance, cultural safety, and sustainability. The Healing Through Community model offers a transferable framework for strengthening pregnancy loss care nationally and reducing inequities across diverse health settings.