A GROUNDBREAKING scheme to help grieving families in Bolton looks set to be rolled out.

Bereavement specialist at the Royal Bolton Hospital, Fiona Murphy, has been working with police and Bolton coroner, Jennifer Leeming, to train officers how to deal with families who have lost a loved one.

Mrs Murphy, who has been named Nurse of the Year by the Royal College of Nursing’s Nursing Standard, and her team have been working closely with the coroner and police to ensure those affected by deaths, which have happened outside the hospital are offered bereavement care and donation options.

Now, the scheme to train police officers has attracted interest from coroners and police chiefs from across Greater Manchester and a similar scheme has just been launched in Preston.

A major conference about the initiative will be held at the Reebok Stadium on Friday.

It is being supported by the Royal College of Nursing, Her Majesty’s Coroner Greater Manchester West, Greater Manchester Police and Bolton NHS Foundation Trust with guests including the Chief Executive and General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, senior police, fire and ambulance officers, NHS Directors of Nursing, consultant clinicians in emergency care and seven of HM’s Coroners.

Mrs Murphy, who is the clinical lead for bereavement and donation at the Royal Bolton Hospital, said: “The interest in this has been overwhelming.

Together we can do so much to support bereaved families and help others who will benefit from organ or tissue donation.”

Bolton coroner Jennifer Leeming added: “It is a privilege to be part of the development of a system for offering full bereavement support and the option of donation to the bereaved who we all serve.”