When Senior Social Worker Katrina “Kat” Holmes joined Logan Hospital in May 2024, she stepped into a first-of-its-kind role - one that brings compassion, dignity, and connection to some of the most complex and sensitive moments in healthcare.
As the Senior Social Worker for Complex Mortality and Bereavement, Kat works within the Clinical Governance Unit, bridging the gap between clinical processes and the emotional, social, and cultural needs of families following a patient’s death.
“This role is about ensuring that patients and their families are cared for with compassion and respect, even after death,” Kat said. “I see my work as maintaining the connection between families and the hospital - making sure they feel supported, heard, and treated with dignity.”
Her role also involves everything from supporting mortality reviews and coordinating the release of deceased patients, to liaising with coroners, police, and funeral directors when families face barriers to release or there is no next of kin. She also assists colleagues across the hospital with viewings and bereavement support.
Kat’s work often extends beyond procedure and paperwork. For her, it’s about restoring dignity after dying.
“When I first started, I noticed some of our practices didn’t reflect the compassion and respect we show while people are alive,” she said.
Kat has since led efforts to develop alternative processes in partnership with Mortality Services, Women’s and Children’s Services, Social Work and local funeral directors.
“These different processes give families the chance to say goodbye in a way that feels right for them.”
Her role also extends to supporting open disclosure - the process through which the hospital communicates with patients and families following a serious clinical incident. By offering psychosocial and bereavement support, she helps families navigate what can be an emotionally complex process.
With years of experience across Metro South hospitals, including trauma and after-hours bereavement work at the Queensland Children’s Hospital, Kat has built a career around helping families through grief and loss.
“People often ask how I can do this kind of work,” she said. “But for me, it’s a privilege to be part of these moments. If I can make one family’s experience a little easier, that’s what matters.”
For Kat, the message to new or apprehensive social workers is simple: don’t be afraid of death.
“At the end of the day, they’re still people,” she said. “It’s not just about what happens before someone passes away, it’s about how we care for them and their loved ones afterward.
“That’s what dignity in healthcare really means.”