Effective Grief and Bereavement Support
This is probably the sort of book to read if you have a particular interest in bereavement, rather than one that all GPs will wish to read.
The focus is on dealing with bereavement after sudden/traumatic death.
The authors are a psychologist and a psychologist based at the Centre for Crisis Psychology in Bergen, Norway.
What they have to say transcends geographical boundaries; however I do feel that the emphasis on theory and research may create a boundary that many practising GPs do not have the time to cross.
As a London-based GP working in a multicultural society I was surprised there was no mention of cultural or faith-based issues.
In a book published in the UK it would have been helpful to have a section on country-specific sources of support.
If you are prepared to read more deeply, the content is interesting and thought-provoking.
I liked the use of quotes from bereaved people and the people involved in dealing with them.
There is particular emphasis on the role of social networks and I found this particularly relevant in the chapter on ‘Children and Young People'.
Each chapter ends with a bullet-point summary so it would be possible to use as a quick reference book.
The bullet points give a set of don'ts as well as dos and would be very useful for a teacher or friend trying to deal with sudden death.
Dr Clare Etherington
Rating: 2/5
