Published on: 23 May 2025
A midwife who leads a service which offers wrap around care to families following the loss of a baby has been nominated for a national award.
Charlotte Mutton joined South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust in 2021 as its first Specialist Bereavement Lead Midwife.
She designed and leads its Forever Cherished service. This offers specialist counselling and support to families from the point of diagnosis and then at least eight months following their loss.
Her role also sees her train maternity colleagues so they are better placed to support parents and their loved ones through the experience of grief.
She is part of wider work which goes on to support mental health of patients and their families within the department, with her work a key part of supporting those who go on to become pregnant again.
Charlotte Mutton has been shortlisted for the Elaine Thorpe Award for excellence in bereavement care from Sands.
Her team has set up the Walk of Light, which is held to mark Baby Loss Awareness Week in October. She works closely with organisations including the Maternity Voices Partnership and the Sunderland-based charity 4Louis. She also supports regional and national networks, which helps families to feedback experiences so improvements can be made.
Charlotte has now been shortlisted for the Elaine Thorpe Award for excellence in bereavement care from Sands.
Sands is a charity which supports anyone affected by pregnancy loss or the death of a baby. It also carries out work to improve maternity safety through research, campaigns for change, works with the Government and reduces inequalities in healthcare to save babies' lives.
The ceremony will be held at the National Arboretum in Staffordshire on Saturday, June 7 – Charlotte’s birthday.
She will find out on the day who put her forward for the title and the details of the nomination.
Charlotte said:
"I’m extremely humbled to have been nominated by bereaved families for the Elaine Thorpe Award. It is extraordinary they have taken time out of their grieving journey to put me forward for the award.
"It is an honour to support staff in the provision of bereavement care and families experiencing loss throughout their bereavement journeys.
"It is also a privilege to continue their care through any following pregnancies.
"I’m aware a bereavement midwife is often the last person a bereaved family would like to meet. However, I’m extremely passionate about bereavement care. I know our whole team strives for excellence to protect families from anything that may negatively impact their experience.
"We really have one moment in time in a family’s bereavement journey to meet their expectations and create a nurturing and compassionate environment which families will reflect upon when thinking of their time with their loved ones."
Charlotte is already a national award winner. In 2023, she won Bereavement Midwife of the Year 2022 at the Marioposa Trust’s celebration event. This was after she was put forward by a family who she supported following a loss.
Jane Anderson is the Trust’s Director of Midwifery.
She said:
"This nomination is a wonderful achievement for Charlotte and our whole team.
"We have everything crossed she wins on the day for the work she does for our Trust and the skills and knowledge she brings our organisation.
"The care offered to families who find out they are facing a loss or lose a baby unexpectedly is so important. The training the team have is also invaluable in helping them help others. We’re delighted this has been recognised through the Sands charity."
Details about maternity care offered by the Trust, including Maternal Mental Health, birth reflections and bereavement care can be found through this page: Maternity
