GRIEVING relatives have a location dedicated to their needs following the official opening the new bereavement suite at York Hospital.

The £365,000 facility is intended to provide practical and emotional support to those who have lost a loved one at the hospital.

Alan Rose, the chairman of York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, performed the opening ceremony yesterday, and said the suite was part of a “continuing broader effort to help patients and family members with the challenges and stress that often accompanies the end of life”.

He said: “We are delighted that we can now offer a peaceful and caring location within which bereaved family members can cope with family death in a dignified, high-quality manner.”